Mumbai, August 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee once opened up about a deep sense of guilt he carried over spending much of his career away from his parents, particularly his mother.
An old video of Bajpayee speaking with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has resurfaced online, in which the actor reflected on the personal sacrifices he made while pursuing his acting career.
Recalling his relationship with his parents, Bajpayee said he had spent very little time with his mother over nearly two decades.
“The biggest thing that I gave up, which you will relate to a lot, that is with my parents, especially with my mother. In this entire 20 years, I have never spent more than 10 days with her,” he said.
The actor said the realisation that he had missed his parents’ company while pursuing his dreams continued to weigh on him.
“A feeling, a strange kind of guilt is still in me, that in the race to achieve my dream, I left the company of my parents,” he recalled.
Bajpayee also remembered the first major award he received, when his parents travelled to be with him for the occasion. Recalling a conversation with his mother during the visit, he said she told him, “Son, remember one thing, one who has not achieved success is not a fool.”
He also shared a lighter memory from a visit to Delhi, when he asked his mother how he looked after taking a bath and combing his hair.
“She said, ‘Son, on getting the fame and money, even a donkey looks beautiful’,” Bajpayee recalled.
His mother, Geeta Devi, was a homemaker and remained an important source of emotional support throughout his journey in the film industry. Bajpayee has frequently spoken about his parents’ sacrifices and encouragement during his early years as an actor.
Geeta Devi died on December 8, 2022, aged 80, after being unwell for around 20 days and undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital. Her death came about a year after Bajpayee lost his father in 2021.
The resurfaced video offers a glimpse into the personal cost Bajpayee associated with his long pursuit of success and his enduring bond with his parents.
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