Manoj Bajpayee opens up about losing the National Award to Akshay Kumar

Manoj Bajpayee is one of the finest actors that the Indian cinema has today, but the actor himself is still not content with the work he’s done in Bollywood over the past 21 years.

“I feel I haven’t even started out in the industry. This is not a flamboyant statement, it is a statement from a person who feels he should have utilised 75% of his talent by now. The actor in me still feels that I am using only 25% of my ability. I am constantly looking forward to working with a new director, good narrative, portraying new unique roles and that is why I feel this way,” says Bajpayee. (Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee: Nobody can play Om Puri better than me)

Speaking about the change that has come over the industry over the past few years, Manoj states, “I have given my 100% to every project but in the past five years things have changed drastically and they have changed for good. So you feel that it is the best time to be a part of the movie industry and give as much as you can.”

When asked about not getting the Award for ‘Aligarh’ at the 64th National Awards, he said, “Whether you are okay with it or not, you have to accept the (award) judgment, which has come out and move on from there. You can’t base your life on any award in this country. It’s all about moving on and waiting for the next opportunity. This is not the last year of my life.”

Such a sport!