'I WON'T DO SUCH ACTION EVER AGAIN!

..says Manoj Bajpayee as he reflects on the challenges faced while shooting his 100th film, Bhaiyya Ji

- SHREYAS PANDE

WITH Bhaiyya Ji, Manoj Bajpayee hits the mainstream with full swing, literally and metaphorically. The trailer for the film has him delivering some over-the-top dialogues and engaging in action-heavy sequences executed in slow motion as upbeat music plays in the background. He has worked in action films in the past but not in this manner. "I cracked my bones and got injured while shooting; it was life-threatening," he says, recalling the experience on set.

In his conversation with CE, the actor reflects on the challenges faced while doing the action scenes, how the film's idea took shape, and why he is keen on working in both art films and commercial films.

Excerpts:

Bhaiyya Ji would be the 100th film of your career.How do you see this? Was it planned to be your 100th film?

I didn't know that this would be my 100th film. In fact, I don't take such milestones seriously. I got to know this only when our director Apoorv Singh Karki mentioned it to me while filming. He said to me that if Silence 2 came before, Bhaiyya Ji would be my 100th film. As luck would have it, Silence 2 was released before, and Bhaiyya Ji became my 100th Film.

The film is based on an idea that you had initially. What was it about and how did it take shape?