Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee has expressed his concerns over the prevailing PR culture in the film industry. He criticized the practice of assigning sensational titles such as “Best Actor” or “National Crush” overnight to certain actors, highlighting that such promotions often overshadow the hard work of experienced artists who genuinely deserve recognition.
In a recent interview, Bajpayee elaborated, “The industry has completely changed. Just when I feel satisfied with my performance in a film, PR teams are busy promoting another actor as the ‘Best Actor.’ This new culture is frustrating and often undermines senior artists.” He further pointed out that seasoned actors like Piyush Mishra, who have dedicated years of training and service to cinema, are frequently overlooked in favor of newcomers receiving exaggerated accolades.
Bajpayee’s remarks, including the reference to the term “National Crush,” have sparked significant discussion on social media, with some assuming actress Rashmika Mandanna was being targeted. However, fans maintain that Bajpayee was criticizing the trend itself, not any individual. Since his debut in 1994, he has remained active with consecutive film and web projects, including the Netflix-streaming Inspector Jenda series and the upcoming highly anticipated The Family Man 3.
