Actor says the reunion after 14 years was meant to pay back his mentor to whom he owes his career
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 19, 2016)

Their last film together was Road in 2002 and, before that, Satya in 1998. Ram Gopal Varma and his protégé Manoj Bajpayee are now set to end the 14-year vanvas with Sarkar 3 in which Manoj plays, to quote RGV, “Govind Despande, a politician loosely based on a very cranky and slightly violent version of Arvind Kejriwal”.

The actor who is known to be super selective about roles won’t go into details but admits that he took on this one simply because it was time to pay back his mentor for all that he has given him. Speaking to Mirror from Paris, Manoj said, “I owe my career directly to him and Bhiku Mahtre. And as Kay Kay Menon says, not just me, but a lot of other actors and directors who walk the unconventional path, also came into the picture thanks to Satya. I owe everything I am to this man so when RGV calls, Manoj goes to him,” he pointed out emotionally.

The actor is in Paris for a film festival which will open with his recent release, the Hansal Mehta-directed Aligarh and will also screen Gangs of Wasseypur and his short film Tandav. “I’m here as a special guest as my films play out before a French diaspora,” he exults.

Meanwhile, another short film, Ouch, this one directed by Neeraj Pandey, the Dhoni director’s first, will premiere in Mumbai on October 22. “It’s a 14-minute short about relationships, also featuring Pooja Chopra. I play someone who takes moments for granted,” he informs. Why Ouch? “That you’ll have to wait and see. All I can say is that many men will relate to it,” he signs off with a laugh.