One of the most talented Bollywood actors, Manoj Bajpayee is making headlines with his latest film Jugnuma, which has received immense appreciation right after its release. The actor revealed that his visit to Neem Karoli Baba’s Kainchi Dham became a life-changing moment for him and played a crucial role in shaping the film. Over the past two decades, Bajpayee has delivered numerous memorable performances and now continues to shine on OTT platforms as well. Yet, he admitted there was a phase when he felt restless and believed his acting career had reached its end.
Manoj Bajpayee
In a conversation with one of the media houses, Bajpayee shared that the ashram visit turned out to be a pivotal experience not only for him personally but also for Jugnuma. Before beginning the film, he and director Ram Reddy decided to travel together to Neem Karoli Baba’s shrine in Uttarakhand. “I was going through a very unsettled period,” he recalled.
Manoj Bajpayee
Manoj further said, “I genuinely felt my time in this profession was over. Before The Family Man Season 1, I had spent an entire year without work. I was desperately searching for answers. Ram suggested we meet in Babaji’s cave. We trekked for an hour, meditated there, and something magical happened. On our way down, we looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve found our film.’”
Manoj Bajpayee
He further explained, “That moment gave me the clarity I was seeking. It felt like complete detachment from everything that binds us. Words can’t fully capture the experience, but I lived it deeply. The central character in Jugnuma also goes through a similar journey, grappling with struggles that only ease when you learn to let go. The more you cling, the harder life becomes, but freedom begins with surrender. For me, in this journey, I was a disciple, an actor, even an elder brother but truly, Kainchi Dham gifted us this film.”