I can’t do comedy for the sake of it, says Manoj Bajpayee

Manoj Bajpayee ( left) is often called an offbeat, method actor for his choice of roles and films. However, the actor says he doesn’t do anything different to earn these tags from the media or his fans. “I don’t know why people call me a serious actor or someone who can do only intense roles. But honestly, I don’t want to get rid of these tags because with my next film, I’ll get new labels. So it’s part and parcel of being an actor,” says Manoj, whose latest release, Saat Uchakkey, is a comedy.

Talking of trying out a genre that people don’t associate him with, the Satya (1998) actor says, “This (comedy) is another dimension to me, and not many people have seen this [side of me] as yet. One thing that my fans don’t know about me is that I am a really funny guy.”

On whether he would take up more such films in the future, the actor says he likes subtle humour that gives out a strong message. “I can’t do comedy for the sake of it. It has to be sensible comedy. It should serve a dual purpose — to make people laugh and be purposeful,” he says.

However, the 47-year-old admits that there is no conscious effort from his side to break the image of how people perceive him as an actor. “I don’t do these different films with the intention of any [particular] image. With each film that an actor does, he is seen in that character for a long time. But I move on easily and get into the skin of the next character,” adds Bajpayee.