Leaving behind the quiet charm of Uttarakhand where he spent the better part of the lockdown, Manoj Bajpayee has returned to Mumbai in time for the promotions of Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. The actor says greenlighting the laugh riot — featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Fatima Sana Shaikh — was a no-brainer. "It's not a slapstick comedy. It's a situational comedy with a unique story, so it was right up my alley," reasons Bajpayee.

According to the actor, the film's strength lies in its solid story by writer-director Abhishek Sharma. "Abhishek is a no-frills guy. If someone doesn't point you to him, you won't know he is the director. The humour in the film is observational. I play a wedding detective who gets a kick out of finding the flaws in potential grooms. The laughs in this film are genuine; there are no gimmicks. Some people are great at slapstick comedies — Charlie Chaplin, for instance, but he was always saying something far bigger than the film itself."

The actor had a dream run with The Family Man last year. His next digital outing, the Netflix film Mrs Serial Killer, almost seemed an anomaly, given his judicious choice of scripts otherwise. "Not every film will be a landmark, but my character in the movie was crackling. Above all, I have great admiration for Shirish Kunder [director]. His potential remains untapped, and he is waiting to break out," says Bajpayee.

While four biographies on Bajpayee are being developed, there was also talk about a biopic being made about his journey from Belwa to Mumbai. "Who'd want to watch a film about me? I have given the biographers all the liberty, but I don't want to be [creatively involved in] any of them. I am a worshipper of democracy, so anyone can write whatever they want. My career has been a roller-coaster ride, but I'm happy with where I am and who I am. Life may knock me down, but it won't be long before I get up and start running again."