Manoj Bajpayee has revealed that Yash Chopra paid him the same fee he charged as a lead actor for his brief appearance in ‘Veer-Zaara’. The actor recalled the incident during a conversation with Shekhar Suman on ‘Shekhar Tonite’. He said he had agreed to do the cameo because he wanted to work with Chopra, not because of the money. The filmmaker, however, insisted on paying him.
Manoj Bajpayee recalls Yash Chopra’s ‘Veer-Zaara’ offer
According to Hindustan Times, Manoj looked back at the phase after ‘Satya’, when many big offers came his way. He said he rejected several well-paying films because he did not want to keep playing villainous roles. He preferred stories and characters that aligned with his creative goals, even when those choices meant smaller paychecks.Manoj then spoke about Yash Chopra’s call for ‘Veer-Zaara’. He said Chopra offered him a cameo after watching his performance in ‘Pinjar’. The actor recalled that he did not even want to hear the full script because he simply wanted to be directed by the filmmaker.He told Chopra to explain the story and character in one line, but Aditya Chopra narrated the entire scene to him. Manoj played Raza Sharazi in ‘Veer-Zaara’, which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukerji in lead roles.
Yash Chopra paid Manoj Bajpayee full fee
Manoj said he asked Chopra to remember him for a bigger role next time. The filmmaker gave him a direct reply, saying he did not usually make films for actors like him. Manoj said he liked Chopra’s honesty because the filmmaker did not make false promises.The actor also said he offered to do the role without charging any money. “I won’t take any fees,” he recalled telling Chopra. But the director refused and later sent him the same amount he usually charged for a lead role.’Veer-Zaara’ released in 2004 and became a major success. The film also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Divya Dutta, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher, and Kirron Kher in key roles. It later won the National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
