Bollywood actors Manoj Bajpayee and Shah Rukh Khan may not share a close friendship today, but their history dates back several years. Both actors received training from acting coach Barry John in New Delhi. In various interviews, Manoj has expressed that they were not friends and did not spend significant time together, even though they embarked on their acting careers simultaneously. Recently, during an interview, the Despatch actor was questioned about whether he felt any jealousy towards Shah Rukh Khan's achievements.

Is Manoj Bajpayee envious of Shah Rukh Khan's achievements?

In a recent discussion with Barkha Dutt, when asked about feelings of jealousy towards Shah Rukh Khan, Manoj Bajpayee remarked that Shah Rukh always aspired to be a star, to be adored, and to be in the spotlight, which was never his ambition. He stated, “I was completely okay with not being surrounded by 20 people in my theatre group. I was completely okay with nobody looking at me. I was completely okay with being a fly on the wall."

During the same conversation, Bajpayee was inquired whether he felt disheartened by Shah Rukh Khan's success, given that they both began their careers at the same time. He refuted this notion, asserting that one's confidence is influenced by personal failures rather than the success of others. He reminisced about how Barry John would offer him subtle support instead of criticizing him for his struggles with English. “Many times, he would throw this challenge at me; whenever he was doing an English play with Divya (Seth) or Rituraj (Singh) or Shah Rukh, he’d give me a small role," he shared.

On the professional front, Manoj Bajpayee's latest film is titled Despatch, which has recently been released and is currently available for streaming on ZEE5 and OTTplay Premium.

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