When Manoj Bajpayee reunited with his guru in Dharamshala

With quite a few films in his kitty — some lined up for release and some to be shot, Manoj Bajpayee is a happy man. However, the actor right now is busy making the rounds of various film festivals. After Busan, his film Bhosle was recently screened at Dharamshala International Film Festival.

And what made his visit to Dharamshala special was the fact that he got to meet his acting teacher, Barry John, after many years.

Manoj tells us, “He (Barry John) shifted to Dharamshala long back, and now works out of there. It was his wish to retire in the hills, and he’s living his dream. I got a chance to be with him for a couple of days. I still remember those days when I learnt acting from him, and I only have gratitude for him. The last film that he saw of mine was Aligarh (2016), and I am now thinking of showing Bhosle to him.”

The 49-year-old explains that he would be nowhere in life without his guru. “When I was struggling to get into National School of Drama, I got rejected for four consecutive years, but Barry found me through a workshop, and offered me a job as a trainee. He paid me every month. He taught and guided me for many years. I’ve spent time with him doing theatre, and learning other nuances of acting. He used to make me read books and conduct workshops,” he adds.

“I can’t forget how important a role he has played in my professional and personal life. The person you see today is completely because of him,” ends Manoj.

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