Manoj Bajpayee: Manoj Bajpayee taunts on films that earn fast – it is not necessary that those movies are good – manoj bajpayee on bollywood movies collection in crores says it doesnt mean that those are good films

Same sex marriage is being talked about in the court these days. You have even done a film on this issue. What do you think about this issue?

I kept on reading and following the whole action that took place in it. Got a lot of new information. Not only the people of LGBTQ community were watching it closely, but many conscious citizens were also watching this whole action. There was a whole debate in this case which is a very positive debate. This debate is very important in any healthy society. Whatever arguments were given in this debate, they were mind opening arguments, I was also learning a lot. My own belief is that when this kind of positive debate takes place, it yields good results.

When is your web series ‘Family Man 3’ coming?

It is amazing that not only the audience, we are also very excited about ‘Family Man 3’. But till now we are yet to get a call from the makers that let’s shoot. Well it can happen at any time. We just have to prepare and shoot. Till now neither the shooting has happened nor the contract has been signed regarding this. When the makers decide on this, the work will start.

Right now the condition of Bollywood is bad. So what are producers and directors thinking these days before the release of the film?

You are absolutely right that films didn’t work that way. In between a film did well but later on other films don’t work. And I don’t believe that if a film is good, it will work. I have a slightly different take on this matter. Because you cannot say that all the films that used to run earlier were good. Earning maximum money was the only criteria to call the film good. But every film that runs is not that good. And not every film that doesn’t do is necessarily bad. After the pandemic, it is still taking time for people to leave their homes and go to theatres. But I know that these things will gradually get right. It is just a matter of a year and a half, after that everything will return to the old pattern. I myself also want films to come in theaters and at the same time there should be a balance between the mediums.

You are saying that earning was the only criteria for a good film. But more earning means more people watching it. So that’s an easy way to measure. After all, if you don’t believe him then whom to believe?

It is obvious that the revenue generated has nothing to do with the audience. The film’s earnings are related to the film producer and distributor. If someone makes a criterion that only a film that earns money is a good film, to what extent it is justified. It is very important to talk about how the film was perceived by a particular audience, and not talk about the fact that the film earned so many crores and therefore the film is good. Unless there is talk on this, there will be no growth of cinema at the level of content.

Cinema theaters have opened. So why are you taking your film ‘Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai’ on OTT?

We did a lot of research and it was the decision of Zee Studios that we will bring this film on OTT only. Now is not the right time to release it in theatres. But let me tell you that we are in talks to release it in at least 10-15 single screens. After a week of coming on OTT, we are planning to release it so that we can know how people react after watching it.

Looking at the trailer of your film, it seems that this film is based on the sexual exploitation of a girl child by some baba. Is this the story of a real Baba?

There are many such cases in our courts and punishment has also been done in many such cases. This movie is based on many true events and not on any one person. But yes the character I am playing is a person PC Solanki who is a capable lawyer from Jodhpur. We are trying to show the film, the court proceedings and the events through them in a way. But the rest of the incidents are based on different true incidents, not on any one.

Nowadays there are disputes over small things. In your web series, some baba seems like a villain. Aren’t you afraid of controversy?

Our intention was very good while making this film. Our focus was on how many dangers are hovering around little girls in our society. They can be made victims of lust or physical abuse at any time. Our complete focus is on the safety of a child. The focus of our story is on how we can keep the girl child safe in our society. Our entire society is responsible for this and we all including parents have to take responsibility for this. Our focus is not on who the perpetrator is, but on whether the children are at risk from a person known to them or known to their parents. Our aim is to make the society aware that it is our responsibility to protect the children.

Why does it take so long to get justice in our society?

From what I read and see, it is understood that many people are talking and working for the reform of law in the country. It is also necessary so that the common man can get justice quickly and he does not have to go round the court all his life.