Manoj Bajpayee Interview: Indian Actor On ‘The Family Man Season 2’

Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee is all to set to return with the second season of Amazon Prime Video original series, The Family Man 2. Bajpayee reprises the role of secret agent Srikant Tiwari in the show, that is among his most popular characters till date. Srikant strikes that perfect balance between a messy, middle-class family life and a high-risk and low-paying job. He does so in the second season as well, though the circumstances are majorly different, Bajpayee tells us in an exclusive interview. Created by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, The Family Man 2 lands online on June 4.

Having worked in the Hindi film industry for more than three decades, Bajpayee is known as a “method actor” - one who inhabits the role of his character to encourage sincere expressions. He has done phenomenal job in films like Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen, Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya and Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh and has three National Film Awards to his credit. The latest, The Family Man is quite different from what he has done in his career. Bajpayee says it is for the first time that kids come up to him for autographs. “My daughter never liked the kind of films I did, but Family Man is her favourite now. I must thank God and audiences for this change.” Unlike the issue-based, serious projects that he has mainly done, The Family Man is a family entertainer.

How did Bajpayee prepare for the role and what all did he go through to bring the character alive? Apart from the sessions with writers and creators, everything was a “personal preparation” says the actor. “Right from noting down elements of the character to rehearsing alone and then thinking about the character 18 hours a day.” He adds that he keeps noting down things as he goes about his daily routine and comes up with some changes to his character.

“The work goes on, it never stops till the time director says ‘cut’. That is the time you stop. for that shot, but it still goes on. You add certain things on the set and you try to subtract things. To be an actor, you have be mad and eccentric, you are trying to find a character, within you, which is not you. You really need to be crazy to do that. And, no rehearsal is ever enough. There will always be room for improvement.”

Prior to The Family Man, Bajpayee had only featured in films but never worked on the longer format. Remembering the time when he shot for the show, his first digital series, Bajpayee says, “Shooting for nine episodes! By the end of the day, (I would be) dead, like a half-dead body lying in the car. (It used to be) that kind of situation.”

The first season of the show was quite a craze, but it has not had any effect on the second season. “There was no pressure as we finished first leg of shooting (the second season) before the first one aired. The second season is a different world altogether, the family has changed, the dimensions have changed. The relationship with each other is (also) going through a lot of changes. Srikant Tiwari's work front has changed. He is still trying to adapt to this new scenario.”

Bajpayee adds, “The second season is heavier on action and on a much bigger scale than the first one. Srikant's life has come to a point where he needs to show the skill of dealing with enemies in a different way. His family's dimensions are changing rapidly and he has to really deal with them in a new way. Srikant Tiwari is going to be the same - he is a cockroach and he is going to survive any kind of circumstance, danger or changes.”

The actor also claims that he would love to be Srikant Tiwari in real life, but it is very difficult. “Srikant Tiwari sends out the message loud and clear that life is all about being good in every moment, giving hundred percent in every moment, and never taking yourself seriously. This is what Srikant Tiwari is, that is what makes him so endearing and charming. I would like to be Srikant Tiwari, but it is tough, really tough. He survives and comes out of every situation, victorious — (be it) family or work or field,” he signs off.