Manoj Bajpayee, Shahana Goswami On Vikrant Massey’s Sabbatical: ‘We All Take Breaks But People Don’t…’ | Exclusive
Manoj Bajpayee says he can't ever take a break from work as the thought of not having ample opportunities on his plate haunts him.
Earlier this week, Vikrant Massey left his fans and peers stunned as he took to social media to announce his retirement from acting stating ‘it’s time to recalibrate and go back home’. While his Haseen Dillruba co-star Harshvardhan Rane hinted that it could be a PR stunt, his The Sabarmati Report co-star Raashii Khanna and 12th Fail co-actor Medha Shankr was left shocked. Days after, Vikrant clarified that he, in fact, isn’t quitting films but is taking a long break as he feels a sense of ‘monotony’.
“My physical and mental health have taken a hit. I just want to take some time off, want to better my craft. I feel a sense of monotony at the moment. My post has been misinterpreted. That I am quitting or retiring from acting. I want to take some time off to focus on my family and health. I would be back when the time feels right (sic)," he said.
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Now, in an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Manoj Bajpayee during the promotions of his upcoming Zee5 film Despatch, reacts to Vikrant’s sabbatical and says, “His decision is very good. These kinds of breaks are something that all of us take but people don’t come to know about it." But he’s quick to add that a break from work is a no-no for him as the thought of not having enough opportunities on his plate often haunt him.
The Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai and Gulmohar actor tells us, “However, if I’ve to speak about myself, I burn out when I’m not working. Trust me when I say this! I get bored if I’m not working. It’s true that I’m doing too many projects on a back-to-back basis but the thought of work makes me feel excited. I’ve spent too many years of my life not working."
Manoj’s Despatch co-star Shahana Goswami, on the other hand, recalls the time when she loved to France after facing a burn-out. In fact, it was again very recently that she took another break from work before she signed Santosh, which became UK’s official selection for Oscars 2025. “I felt this burn out many times in my career. I shifted to revive myself. I lived in Paris for five years. I was only working on things that excited me and would keep going back and forth between Paris and Mumbai. Before Santosh happened, I had said no to scripts for an entire year," she explains.
Stressing on the need for actors to take hiatuses like this, the Zwigato and Rock On actor says, “I told myself that I’ll only say yes if I truly feel excited about something. And even if I didn’t like any script, I would still live life. I would rather live life happily than do something I’m so passionate about with half-heartedness. But if I do things that constantly excite me, I could do them on a back-to-back basis as well because I’m a work horse. It’s just that I need that level of thrill and excitement towards my next project."
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