He grew up as a film-lover who earned his acting credentials doing theatre and is an actor who is known for his acting sensibilities. He worked his way up from TV roles to small character roles in films like Shekhar Kapur’s ‘Bandit Queen’. And then Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Satya’ happened and Manoj became synonymous with just one name—Bhiku Mhatre, which proved his mettle beyond doubt. The subsequent films like 'Shool', 'Kaun', 'Zubeida' and 'Road' brought him center-stage. A thinking actor, Manoj is satisfied with what is coming his way. Bajpai has become the alternate macho symbol - a niche seldom filled in Bollywood except to an extent by Naseeruddin Shah.