Manoj Bajpayee is ecstatic about getting a Special Mention at the 70th National Film Awards. The actor's performance in his 2023 film Gulmohar has received recognition on a national level. The actor was seen as Arun Batra in the Rahul Chittella directorial, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar. After getting a Special Mention, Manoj told Hindustan Times that he was not even expecting it for himself.

Manoj Bajpayee on getting Special Mention

Manoj Bajpayee was happy to learn that he received a Special Mention at the 70th National Film Awards. "Wow! Best Hindi film too! I must call my director Rahul V Chittella right away, I was not even expecting for me. He is deserving of the honour, he has made such a beautiful film about relationships within a complex family system," he told the publication.

Bajpayee further acknowledged that his hard work isn't going unnoticed now. "It’s happening now. There have been performances and films which went unrecognised, and times when things were just not looking up," the actor added.

On initial bias towards OTT releases

The Gulmohar actor further addressed the division people still make based on where a film releases. He stated, "People who discriminated, they are threatened and challenged by the films and work actors and directors are doing on OTT." Manoj believes those people feel intimidated and he feels that's a very natural thing for them. "But they fail, because good work is good work," added Bajpayee.

Manoj Bajpayee's last film release

On the work front, Manoj was last seen in his 100th film Bhaiyya Ji. It marked his reunion with Apoorv Singh Karki after Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai's success. The film, which was theatrically released in May, had its OTT premiere in July. It is streaming on ZEE5 and OTTplay Premium.

Meanwhile, we congratulate Manoj for getting a Special Mention at the 70th National Film Awards! Stay tuned to this space for more updates!

Read Also: 70th National Film Awards: Ayan Mukerji is grateful as Brahmastra wins 3 honours; here's what Karan Johar said