Manoj Bajpayee dabbled in digital content long before it became a rage. It's hardly surprising then that he has greelit another direct-to-web film, Despatch, directed by Kanu Behl. Buzz is that the actor went on a digital detox, prepping in isolation for three weeks before he began shooting for the film last months.

Refusing to discuss the film's premise, Bajpayee says that he opted for strenous prep as the subject demanded it. "Despite years of conducting workshops in acting institutes and participating in hundreds of them, I felt challenged by the rigorous workshop for this film," he says.

In 2020, he juggled both medium - where Mrs Serial Killer was a Netflix film, Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari became the first Bollywood film to hit screens post the Coronavirus pandemic. The actor says that Despatch's digital premiere doesn't alter his approach to the subject. "Every film I have shot recently will premiere on web though the initial agenda of each movie was to target a theatrical release. But theatres are taking their own time to regain normalcy. OTT platforms are running parallel to theatres and shouldn't be pitted against them. The purpose is to reach as many as possible collectively."

Manoj Bajpayee will also produce and star in long-time collaborator Apurva Asrani's directorial debut. "To me, he is family. I am waiting for him to call me once his final draft is ready."