Manoj Bajpayee’s career has never followed the safest route. Long before he became one of Indian cinema’s most admired performers, the actor was making difficult choices that could have easily derailed a less stubborn artiste. After the success of Satya, Manoj was flooded with offers, but most of them wanted him to repeat the darker, villainous space that had brought him acclaim. He refused to be boxed in, even when saying no meant losing out on big money.Manoj revisited that phase of his career and spoke about choosing films for their stories rather than their pay cheques. He also recalled his experience of working with legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra in Veer-Zaara and revealed that the filmmaker paid him the same amount he would usually receive for a lead role, even though his appearance in the film was brief.During the conversation, Manoj Bajpayee said that the years after Satya were not as simple as they may have appeared from the outside. While the film had established him as a formidable actor, it also brought with it the risk of being typecast.The actor said that many of the films offered to him after Satya wanted him to play villainous or similar grey characters. The actor, however, was clear that he did not want to keep repeating himself. At the same time, the films that genuinely interested him did not always come with big pay cheques.Despite the financial challenges, Manoj said he has never regretted those decisions. For him, the instinct to wait for good stories and meaningful characters eventually helped build the career he has today.During the interaction on Shekhar Suman’s talk show Shekhar Tonite, ,when asked further about ‘Veer Zaara’ and asked Manoj whether he ever regretted doing a cameo in the film. Manoj immediately denied it and recalled how Yash Chopra had personally called him for the role.Manoj said, “Yash ji called me up, and he asked, ‘mere film main cameo hai tu karega kya? Pinjar dekhte hue mujhe laga ki yeh role tu hi kar paayega (There’s a cameo role in my film. Would you do it? After watching Pinjar, I felt that you are the only one who could pull off this role).’ Believe me, I didn’t even want to hear the script from him because I wanted to be directed by him. I said, Yash ji, just tell me when I have to come. Just tell me the story and character in one line, and I’ll come prepared. But Aditya Chopra narrated to me the whole scene.”For Manoj, the decision was not about screen time. It was about being directed by Yash Chopra, one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers. The actor said he did not even feel the need to hear the full script before agreeing, because the opportunity itself mattered to him.Manoj also recalled making a light-hearted request to Yash Chopra after hearing the narration. He told the filmmaker that the next time he thought of him, he should give him a bigger role.Manoj shared, “I said Yash ji aagli baar jab yaad rakhiyega toh bada role dijiyega. Toh unhone saaf saaf bola, ‘bete main tere jaisi actors ke liye kahan film banata hoon aur jo role honge woh tu karega nahi toh yeh waala kar de badia se (I told Yash ji, ‘The next time you think of me, please give me a bigger role.’ He replied very clearly, ‘Son, I don’t really make films for actors like you. And even if there are roles for you in my films, you probably won’t do them. So just do this one properly and do it well).’”Manoj said he appreciated Yash Chopra’s honesty because the filmmaker did not make any false promise to him. Instead, he was upfront about the kind of films he made and the kind of roles that may or may not come Manoj’s way. The actor further revealed that he had initially told Yash Chopra that he would not charge any fee for Veer-Zaara. However, the filmmaker insisted on paying him.Manoj said, “I liked that he never promised me anything. I told him I won’t take any fees, but he said I will give it to you, and Yash Chopra sent me the same amount that I used to take for doing a lead role in the movie.”The anecdote left Shekhar Suman impressed and also offered a glimpse into the mutual respect between Manoj and Yash Chopra. Even though Manoj’s role in Veer-Zaara was not a full-fledged lead part, it remained memorable and added emotional weight to the film’s narrative.