Manoj Bajpayee on carrying a baby while running in Joram, “My concern was not my performance, but the child’s safety”

In his long and illustrious career, Manoj Bajpayee has given many award-winning performances in epoch-defining films, which prove him to be one of the best actors in India, and the world. But Devashish Makhija’s stunning Joram was a special challenge for Manoj.

He told this writer, “Joram was not only emotionally challenging – and I’ve done many such roles in the past including the same director’s Bhonsle – but also physically very gruelling. Almost throughout the film, I had to carry a little baby in my hands, and it isn’t as if I was singing lullabies to her. I had to run while ensuring that the child was comfortable.”

It was a huge dilemma for Manoj. “How was I supposed to remain in character while ensuring that the child did not get the slightest uncomfortable? I was running with the baby through the toughest terrain. My main concern was not my performance this time, but the child’s safety,” recalled Manoj.

By the end of the shoot, the baby and her Baba on screen became bonded. Laughed Manoj, “Her parents were present on every single shooting day. At first, she would wonder who this stranger was. Yeh kiske godi mein roz daal dete the? (In whose lap am I put each day?). She would look at me with her big, puzzled eyes. Then as the shooting progressed, we got to know each other. She would smile when she was not supposed to, ha ha.”

Manoj used his own experiences as a Daddy to make little Joram (yes, the film gets its title from the baby’s name) feel comfortable. “Luckily, I knew how to hold a baby. I had gone through the experience. It is not easy to cuddle a baby and flee for one’s life, as I was supposed to in Joram. I hope one day the baby will show the film to her family and tell them how good a father I was on screen,” said Manoj.

Has Manoj Bajpayee just snatched away the National Award from Vikrant Massey whose stellar performance in 12th Fail was so far the most eligible performance for the honour?

Manoj dismissed my finger-crossed prophecy. “I never work for awards. No actor can say, ‘Main to iss film mein award-winning performance doonga. It doesn’t work that away. Awards are a bonus, not the reason for a performance,” said the actor.

Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee reveals at Joram’s screening at Jio MAMI that he doesn’t take time to get out his characters: “That is a luxury I’ve never had. We live in India. Kaam mila hai toh karo”