Mumbai, September 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee has opened up about what fascinates him most about acting, saying the profession allows actors to explore and embrace the darker sides of their personalities while connecting with complex characters.
Bajpayee, who is receiving positive response to his recently released film Last Man in Tower, spoke about his approach to acting during a promotional interaction in Mumbai. He was accompanied by actress Divya Dutta and director Ben Rekhi.
Asked about the fear of the unknown that comes with taking up a new project, Bajpayee said actors can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the challenge of dealing with the darker aspects of a character.
“Sometimes you want to say no to it. Sometimes you just want to call Ben and say, I think I’m not the right fit because you’re scared. There is a dark side of the character that you’ll have to deal with. It’s not easy,” he said.
The actor said this challenge is also what makes him admire actors and their craft.
“I love them because they have the ability to embrace the dark side of themselves. First, they embrace their own dark side, then only they can relate to the character’s dark side,” Bajpayee said.
He added that actors often keep this part of themselves private, describing the process of exploring such emotions as deeply personal.
“They may not tell you, why should we tell you about our dark side? It’s a very private thing. It’s a very personal thing,” he said.
Bajpayee further explained that portraying layered and morally complex characters requires actors to understand themselves before they can fully understand the people they portray.
“All these roles, which have so much grey, so many layers, it’s not easy. If I am not in the process of understanding myself or knowing myself, I cannot understand the character that I’m playing,” he said.
Last Man in Tower is currently playing in cinemas.
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