Manoj Bajpayee's journey has been filled with equal parts failure and acclaim but the actor says it is his stubbornness that has kept him going through times which would have forced many to quit.
Bajpayee was launched into stardom in 1998 with Ram Gopal Verma's "Satya" after years of featuring in minor roles.
"It has been a roller-coaster ride. It has tested me on several levels. Most of the actors in my place would have run away, would have chosen a different path. But I am obstinate," Bajpayee told PTI.
"I don't bow down to situations so easily. I am very convinced about what I want to do. Whether I achieve it or not, I believe in trying till the end. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. That's the gamble you take."
"Every subject which comes your way, it is loaded with lots of demands and challenges that you can't be sure of yourself. You can fall sick and have sleepless nights if you take it seriously. The amount of hard work it requires from an actor is next level."
"Getting into the zone of a character so much that I forget myself is my high. It is quite scary but that's the beauty of being an actor. At times it leaves you with bruises, the other times it heals you with satisfaction."
"Personally I don't look down upon mainstream cinema. I try to derive strength --that comes from the market -- from them to do the films that I actually believe in, like 'Gali Guleiyan', 'Bhonsle', or an 'Aligarh.'
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