Manoj Bajpayee: ‘I cannot memorise a Hindi line if it is not written in Devanagari’: Manoj Bajpayee explains his script-reading preference mentions Pankaj Tripathi and Amitabh Bachchan as actors who follow the same practice | Hindi Movie News

Manoj Bajpayee reveals how Amitabh Bachchan, Pankaj Tripathi prefer reading script in Devanagari (Image Credits Instagram)

For Manoj Bajpayee, an actor’s preparation begins long before he steps in front of the camera. The script, its language and the way dialogue is written all play an important role in shaping his performance. In a recent interview alongside filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, the actor explained why he prefers reading Hindi dialogues in the Devanagari script.The conversation also touched upon ‘Gajab Raat’, Pandey’s thriller featuring Bajpayee, and the creative process behind its blend of suspense and black humour. From the importance of script-reading to finding comedy in everyday situations, the two discussed the details that influence their work.

Manoj Bajpayee on why he prefers Hindi scripts in Devanagari

Bajpayee explained that reading Hindi dialogue in its original script is essential to his memorisation process. Referring to actors who continue to follow this practice, he mentioned Amitabh Bachchan and Pankaj Tripathi.“My handicap is I cannot memorize a Hindi line if it is not written in the Devanagari script,” Bajpayee said.However, Pandey challenged the suggestion that only a handful of actors insist on reading Hindi scripts in Devanagari. He maintained that the practice is more widespread than people might assume.“That’s a myth. A lot of other actors do that,” the filmmaker said, pointing out that several performers ask for their scripts to be written in Devanagari.

Neeraj Pandey on blending thriller elements with black humour in ‘Gajab Raat’

The conversation then turned to ‘Gajab Raat’, which gave Pandey an opportunity to explore a combination of thriller storytelling and dark comedy. The filmmaker acknowledged that creating a feature-length black comedy presented a new challenge, even though he had previously explored the genre in a short film.“We did a short film, a black humor piece, ‘Ouch!’ So that was fun. It was fun to tap into something which is again a mix of both thriller and dark humor,” Pandey said.He also spoke about the process of making sense of the world inhabited by the film’s characters. Combining suspense with black humour required a careful approach, making the creative process challenging but enjoyable.The film’s tonal mix offers a different dimension to the storytelling, bringing together the tension associated with a thriller and the uncomfortable, often unexpected humour found in darker situations.

‘You have to look around you for black humor’: Neeraj Pandey on finding inspiration in real life

For Pandey, inspiration for black humour does not necessarily come from cinema, theatre or literature. Instead, he believes that everyday life provides a wealth of material for those willing to observe the world around them.“You have to look around you for black humor. Trust me, that’s where black humor is. You don’t have to go to a theatre or watch a film or read a book. Real life,” he quips.

Neeraj Pandey reveals Manoj Bajpayee’s sense of humour off screen

Pandey also offered a glimpse into Bajpayee’s personality away from the camera, recalling how the actor’s one-liners and jokes kept the team entertained during late-night shoots.“It’s the same, exactly the same. Like his one-liners and gags are the same,” Pandey said, describing Bajpayee’s off-screen sense of humour.

Manoj Bajpayee hopes audiences connect with his quirky ‘Gajab Raat’ character

For Bajpayee, Gajab Raat also offered the opportunity to inhabit Nivrit, a character he described as unpredictable and unusual. The actor expressed his hope that audiences would respond to the role as positively as he did while playing it.“His mind is very quirky, is very unpredictable. So I just hope that people like it as much as I loved playing him,” Bajpayee said.

About ‘Gajab Raat’

Manoj Bajpayee and Neeraj Pandey have reunited for ‘Gajab Raat’, a thriller directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Pandey’s Friday Storytellers. The film also stars Nushrratt Bharuccha, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Divya Dutta and Kiku Sharda. It premiered on Netflix on October 23, 2026.The film was earlier titled ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’, sparking a significant controversy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and stereotyping a specific community. Critics and social media users claimed that pairing the term “Ghooskhor” (corrupt or bribe-taker) with “Pandat” (a caste-identifying title) promoted negative generalizations. In response to the growing backlash and public outrage, the makers agreed to change the film’s title to avoid further conflict and respect audience sensitivities prior to its release.Bajpayee’s other recent projects include ‘Governor: The Silent Saviour’ and ‘Last Man in Tower’, while ‘Police Station Mein Bhoot’ is among the projects listed in his filmography.