The 1998 film starred J. D. Chakravarthy as its protagonist.
"Mumbai Ka King Kaun?" - Bhiku Mhatre
In one of his interviews, director Ram Gopal Varma said about 'Satya', "We Didn’t Make The Film, It Made Itself." And it does make sense because now it seems the film came into being as part of destiny. There was something immensely magical in the film that we had never experienced in mainstream Hindi cinema before. The raw and gritty portrayal of Mumbai's underworld hit the bull's eye and gave birth to a new sub-genre in Bollywood. And it wouldn't be even an iota of an exaggeration to say that the film emerged as a revolution in the industry.
Ram Gopal Varma
Well, 'Satya' happened exactly 26 years ago today, and Bollywood wasn't the same after that. The film was a major critical and commercial success and went on to gain a 'cult' status along the way. It launched a bunch of fresh talents, especially Anurag Kashyap, the writer and filmmaker, and Manoj Bajpayee, the actor. And it inspired countless aspiring filmmakers from across the world to do something out of the box!
"If it were not for Manoj's brilliant performance in Satya, actors like Irrfan and me might still be waiting to be accepted." - Kay Kay Menon
Shefali Shah and Manoj Bajpayee as Pyaari and Bhiku Mhatre in ‘Satya’
Manoj Bajpayee played Bhiku Mhatre, the second lead, in 'Satya', while actor J. D. Chakravarthy appeared as the lead. However, Bajpayee's role became more popular over time with his performance being an inspiration for actors.
Bajpayee began his career with a one-minute role in Govind Nihalani’s 'Drohkaal'. Although he played a major role in Shekhar Kapur’s 'Bandit Queen' the same year, he unfortunately didn't get the limelight that he deserved. The 1998 film 'Satya' turned out to be a game-changer in his career, catapulting him to stardom.
Manoj Bajpayee as Bhiku Mhatre
According to several reports, Bajpayee was approached by Varma to play the lead in 'Satya'. The filmmaker reportedly later changed his mind and gave him the second lead.
The actor, in one of his later interviews, dismissed the claim that Varma had offered him the lead role in 'Satya'. In his words, "I was never offered the title role. Ramu met me for a small role in 'Daud', the role of Paresh Rawal's assistant. Ramu realized I was the same actor whom he had liked in Shekhar Kapur's 'Bandit Queen'. He said he was completely bowled over by my performance as Maan Singh. He wanted to immediately cast me in. The only idea that was in his head was about a film about the underworld."
Mumbai Ka King Kaun?
"He called me and said I want you to play the second guy. I was heartbroken. He said come over. I went to his house and he said you know that I can cast anyone for the lead but I need someone who has a great personality, great presence in front of the camera for Bhiku Mhatre," he added.
So that's how Manoj Bajpayee came on board. And the rest, as they say, is history. The film earned him his first National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 46th National Film Awards and Best Actor (Critics) Award at the 44th Filmfare Awards. And it marked the beginning of a remarkable career filled with numerous exemplary performances!
