Manoj Bajpayee:My 100th film is a tribute to the movies I grew up watching

Bhaiyya Ji, marks Manoj Bajpayee’s 100th film as an actor. He also co-produces the film and in an interaction with Bombay Times, said why it’s special.

He shared, “The idea of "Bhaiyyaji" was always in my mind. I wanted to make an independent or a middle-of-the-road film. However, when Apoorv Singh Karki heard about it, he was adamant about taking it and transforming it into a mainstream commercial film. He wanted to pay tribute to Telugu and Tamil cinema, which greatly impressed him during his childhood. That's why he introduced "Desi Superstar" and "MB100" specifically for this film. Later, I realized that he wanted me to be the lead, which I was initially hesitant about. But seeing his conviction and vision, I agreed to headline the cast. And that's how everything unfolded.”

The actor added, “I grew up watching Amitabh Bachchanji, Shatrughan Sinhaji, and Vinod Khannaji—films that spoke about the masses, people's relationships, and the dreams of the common man. I was missing those kinds of stories—the kind of revenge story Apoorv Singh Karki wanted to portray and bring to the screen. It’s a tribute from all of us to the genre that once told the heartland's stories. Deepak Kingrani, the writer, crafted the script without compromising the cultural details of the area, which made it far more fascinating. The story was set in villages and small towns, and the heroes and protagonists emerged from that cultural ethos.”

About this being his 100th film, he said, “I never knew I had already completed 99 films. It was Apoorv Singh Karki who checked and told me that "Bhaiyyaji" is going to be my 100th film. What better way to pay tribute to all the films that completely mesmerized me growing up and then, you know, completing your 100th film in the same genre. So, it's my tribute to all the films that attracted me, influenced me in my teenage years, and really planted the dream in my head that I wanted to become an actor.”