Manoj Bajpayee reveals his wife Shabana Raza is surprised he is still surviving in film industry: 'You keep offending people...'

Manoj Bajpayee has very successfully created a niche for himself in the Hindi film industry with his work. However, the actor recently revealed that his wife, Shabana Raza, finds this surprising and calls his long-lasting career in the industry nothing short of a miracle.

The secret behind his success

When asked about the secret to his success, Manoj admitted even he doesn’t have a clear answer. He shared with Bollywood Bubble that his wife's take on his 32-year career, saying she once called it a miracle that he’s still thriving in an industry where many struggle, despite taking risks with unconventional films.

Struggles and breakthrough

Hailing from a small village in Bihar, he reportedly faced many years of struggle and was rejected several times by the National School of Drama. He finally got his big break with Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya in 1998. His role as Bhiku Mhatre became iconic and earned him his first National Award.

Personal life and marriage

On the personal front, he is married to Shabana Raza, popularly known by her screen name Neha. She made her Bollywood debut opposite Bobby Deol in Kareeb and went on to appear in films such as Fiza, Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet and Ehsaas.



The couple first met at a party soon after Satya released in 1998. After dating for a few years, they got married in 2006 in a private ceremony. They are also proud parents of a daughter, Ava Nayla.

Meanwhile, is all set for his next film, Jugnuma – The Fable, directed by Raam Reddy. It also features Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, Hiral Sidhu, Awan Pookot, and Tillotama Shome. It hits theatres on 12 September.

He was last seen in 'Inspector Zende', which is currently streaming on an OTT platform. The film also stars Jim Sarbh, Sachin Khedekar, Girija Oak and others in key roles.