Actor Manoj Bajpayee’s OTT series was among the most talked about shows of 2021. The Family Man is among those rare shows, whose second season became more popular than the first one. And the actor calls the public reaction “overwhelming”.

“The manner in which people received it, and spread the word… New audiences also came in. Season one was a runaway success. And then because of the pandemic, people again were stuck at home, so those who had not watched season one, they watched it and came to the second. It took us all by surprise, the manner in which it was received globally. We all are very happy,” says Bajpayee, who has had a very hectic 2021. The 52-year-old actor has been shooting back to back for new projects. He also had several OTT releases this year, including Ray, Silence… Can You Hear It? and Dial 100.

“With the commitments I have in hand, it will continue to be hectic till the end of 2023. I am supposed to finish all the films I have committed to. It is exhausting, but I can’t help it. And it’s only for this reason that I have stopped reading new scripts. I don’t have any more dates,” he says.

While the year had professional highs for him, he had to face some personal lows too. He lost his father, contracted Covid-19 and the shoot of his film Despatch had to stop due to Covid-19 cases on set. He says, “You can’t compensate for your parents, that’s something one has to live with. I am learning to live with that.”