Mumbai: Manoj Bajpayee, who shared a close bond with late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, recently opened up about their time working together and the advice he gave to Sushant, particularly about surviving in the competitive world of Bollywood. Speaking to Mid-Day, Manoj reflected on Sushant’s untimely death in 2020, stating that no one truly knows what happened to him, but his loss was deeply personal.
Manoj, who worked alongside Sushant in the film Sonchiriya, described him as a “moody guy,” noting that many of his co-stars shared similar traits. However, he highlighted Sushant’s brilliance, stating that the late actor was a voracious reader with an exceptional knowledge of quantum physics and spiritualism. He recalled that Sushant often engaged in deep, intellectual conversations, comparing concepts from quantum physics with spirituality.
In his conversation, Manoj also shared his thoughts on the challenges of the film industry. He recalled advising Sushant to develop a thick skin to cope with the harsh realities of Bollywood. “As far as the industry is concerned, we used to have chats about the industry and its politics. I always told him to keep thick skin nahi toh yeh jaan maar dengi tumhari (or else they will suck the life out of you). I had thick skin because I have faced so many rejections. It was a part of my life but a lot of my friends didn’t have that thick skin. They couldn’t face rejections like I did.”
Manoj explained that he had developed this resilience over the years, having faced many rejections early in his career. He noted that while he learned to handle rejection, some of his friends, including Sushant, struggled with it.
Manoj expressed the profound grief he felt after Sushant’s passing, saying that the news hit him hard, leaving him in sorrow for three months. He mentioned that despite not being closely related, the loss felt deeply personal due to the bond they had formed during their time working together.
Manoj also touched upon the ongoing mystery surrounding Sushant’s death. Despite the widespread speculation and investigations, including the CBI’s involvement, Manoj emphasised that nobody truly knows what led to his death, and he refrains from jumping to conclusions.
