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"We actors live with irony that the film does not ride on us... somewhere the directors don't show confidence in casting a typical actor and putting the stake on us. So that chance was not given to us... if a chance was given and if we failed then I can understand," Manoj told PTI.
"We are always the second or the third guy, we are fine with it. I am not being cynical here. I like to live in reality and this is the realistic situation," the 43-year-old actor said.
Considering that today unusual and meaningful films are doing well at the box office, Manoj still feels the perception of industry has not changed much.
"Still they (industry people) will not put the entire stake on us as there are mainstream actors. One Anurag Kashyap who thinks differently can do it but not the regular mainstream directors... they will not bet on us," he said.
Anurag Kashyap's 'Gangs of Wasseypur', where he played the lead as the mafia don won him a lot of appreciation but interestingly he has not signed any film after that.
"I am going through scripts almost every day but I haven't signed anything after 'Gangs of Wasseypur'... the wait is getting longer. Post 'Gangs of Wasseypur' things have not changed for me. It has changed so much that I am sitting at home and being with family," he chuckles. "Whatever films that are releasing this year I have signed all of them before 'Gangs of Wasseypur'," he added.
Manoj's latest release is Neeraj Pandey's 'Special 26' along with Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher. His other upcoming films include Sanjay Gupta's 'Shootout at Wadala' and Prakash Jha's 'Satyagraha'.
Its for the fourth time that Jha and Manoj will be teaming up together for a film. Their earlier films include ¿ 'Rajneeti', 'Aarakshan', and 'Chakravyuh'.
Talking about his rapport with the national award winning filmmaker, Manoj says, "It is good that I get to work with him. He gives me a good role in a big film, pays me well. Since he makes commercial films around true, real life incidents... drama I find it quite interesting. I enjoy working with him."
"But unfortunately I cannot talk about my role in Satyagraha..he will kill me," Manoj chuckled.
We wish Manoj contnues his acting the way he is. He is a class actor and does full justice to his character/role in cinem. He may not earn money and stardom like many mainstream commecial actors, but has made lasting imprint on movie watchers for whatever roles he has performed. He has a class of fan following who wish him to perform more and more challenging roles that he selects for himself. Going by the current trend he will have good directors offering him roles that he deserves.
