Manoj Bajpayee Reflects On His Character In Hansal Mehta's 'Aligarh': It Improved Me As A Human Being

As 'Aligarh' celebrates its ninth anniversary, Manoj Bajpayee reflects on the film. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about the impact the movie had on him.

Outlook Entertainment Desk

Updated on: 28 February 2024 1:48 pm

Manoj Bajpayee in 'Aligarh' Photo: X

When ‘Aligarh’ released in 2015, the movie touched upon topics that were talked about in hushed tones. The Hansal Mehta film bravely talked about issues and paved the way for other filmmakers to explore homosexuality boldly in their films. The movie went on to become critically acclaimed. Recently, Manoj Bajpayee opened up about the impact the role and the film had on him.

Speaking to Times Now, Manoj Bajpayee reflected on the nine years since the release of ‘Aligarh.’ He talked about this landmark film which took his career to a newer height. Speaking about the film, he said, “’Aligarh’ gave my career a new direction. Films like ‘Aligarh’, ‘Gali Guleiyan’, and ‘Bhonsle’ took my performing abilities to another level. They showed me where to go ahead from that juncture in my career.”

The actor continued to talk about how the role of Ramchandra Siras affected him. He said, “It will always remain a very special film. It was lauded all over the world. It was even mentioned in the Supreme Court. Most of all, ‘Aligarh’ got me a lot of respect. The character in ‘Aligarh’, Ramchandra Siras corrected me. It improved me as a human being. I was not Manoj Bajpayee when I was doing ‘Aligarh’. I was Ramchandra Siras. I felt his spirit guiding me.”

Written by Apurva Asrani, ‘Aligarh’ also starred Rajkummar Rao, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Ishwak Singh in lead roles. The movie did not work well at the box office upon its release because it received an ‘A’ certification. However, the movie slowly went on to become a cult classic. This Manoj Bajpayee starrer won at the Filmfare, Jagran Film Festival, and Asia Pacific Screen Awards.