Ram Gopal Verma’s iconic 1998 film, Satya, served as a turning point in actor Manoj Bajpayee’s career, leaving an indelible mark on his journey in the film industry. Bajpayee expresses his deep gratitude to “both the movie and Verma”.

Reflecting on his early days, Bajpayee reveals, “I didn’t have a career when I did Satya. I was just getting some small roles here and there and surviving in the city (Mumbai). Satya has given me a career.”

The actor attributes his breakthrough to his portrayal of the iconic character Bhiku Mhatre, a role he landed due to the faith and support of Verma. Bajpayee recalls the circumstances that led to his collaboration with the director, saying,

“Kannan Iyer (filmmaker and actor) took me to Ramu (RGV). Ramu jumped when he learned that I had played Maan Singh in Bandit Queen (1994) and that he had always wanted to give you a role in one of his movies, but he pleaded with me not to do Iyer’s 1997 film Daud. But I was insistent on doing Daud because it was giving me money and a role. Although it was a small role, I didn’t mind it because beggars can’t be choosers.”

Continuing, he adds, “If I look back, so many dialogues of Satya became so popular that they are famous even now. Topmost being, ‘Mumbai ka king kon?’ I am not an actor who believes in dialogue baazi, but I was just living in the character.”

Revisiting the memories of working on Satya, the 54-year-old actor expresses a sense of nostalgia, recalling the enjoyable experiences and the creative freedom that the team embraced: “We really didn’t know how it was all going to turn out. The enthusiasm was that we were going to make something we always wanted to, with so much freedom to perform. We were improvising every day because we were given that freedom by the writers and directors to create and deliberate together.”

When questioned about the impact of the movie on the industry and its audience 25 years ago, Bajpayee asserts, “There is an industry pre-Satya and an industry post-Satya.” 

Bajpayee also emphasizes how the movie instilled confidence in aspiring talents. “A young mind sitting in Lucknow or Patna could dream of coming to Mumbai and telling his or her story. This is the magic that Satya has created,” he concludes.