Divya Dutta: Manoj Bajpayee treats newcomers as equals
Divya Dutta opens up on finally sharing screen space with Manoj Bajpayee in Gajab Raat and why working with him leaves co-stars spoiled.
Divya Dutta and Manoj Bajpayee have an unusual shared filmography: they appeared in four films together but never got a proper scene until this year. Now, with Netflix’s crime drama Gajab Raat, that longtime wish is finally on screen. In an exclusive interaction with Hindustan Times, Divya explained why sharing screen space with Manoj was a personal milestone and what she noticed about him behind the camera.
Their earlier credits include LOC: Kargil (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), Special 26 (2013) and Traffic (2016). Divya said that in Special 26, Manoj just ran past her for a split second. “We had been promising each other that we must work together, and finally it happened twice this year,” she said. The two projects were The Last Man and Gajab Raat, directed by Ritesh Shah and streaming on Netflix.
A bucket-list co-star, finally
Divya described Manoj as one of the most amazing actors we have, which is why he was on her bucket list. She said his acting feels effortless and simple, and that his brilliance comes from that simplicity. “Manoj is effortless and very simple; his brilliance comes from his simplicity and how effortlessly he does everything,” she told the publication.
Why Manoj leaves co-stars spoiled
What stood out to Divya was not just Manoj’s performance but the way he treats people on set.
- He approaches newcomers as equals, which immediately lowers the pressure on a set.
- He has a knack for cooking for colleagues, often with a lot of love.
- When schedules are short, he still creates time for the team off set.
On Gajab Raat, Divya’s schedule meant she was rarely on set with everyone for long, so Manoj did not cook there. Instead, he took the whole team out for dinner one day. “He took all of us out for dinner one day, and we had a blast,” she said.
The real reason Divya signed the film
Divya plays a bold, corrupt politician in Gajab Raat. She said three reasons made her say yes: Neeraj Pandey, Manoj Bajpayee and Netflix. With Neeraj in particular, she takes a rare approach — she hands over her dates and lets the project unfold like an audience member, trusting that he will use her beautifully. “I just let it unfold,” she said, adding that some scenes still come as surprises.
A title changed, a film untouched
The film was earlier known by a different title, including Ghooskhor Pandat. Divya said the production team always had a list of options and that no scene was changed because of the switch. She believes Gajab Raat suits the film beautifully and has been loved by audiences.
Divya on female-led films
Responding to Radhika Apte’s recent comment that producers hesitate to give female-led films a theatrical release without top stars, Divya was clear. “Yes, we are a male-dominated industry — there is no two ways about it,” she said. But she pointed to story-first successes such as Laapataa Ladies and Hanuman Ansh as signs that audiences will show up when a film is marketed and distributed well. “There is no fixed formula anymore,” she added.
Gajab Raat is streaming on Netflix.
Source: Hindustan Times
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