Before they became big names in Bollywood, Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Raaz all started in theatre. Manoj recently shared a funny story from those early days. He recalled how Nawazuddin and Vijay once joined a theatre production, only to find out that there were no real roles left for them. As a result, the two future stars ended up standing on stage as trees for hours.
Manoj Bajpayee on how Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Raaz ended up playing trees
In a conversation with Fever FM, Manoj painted a vivid picture of how it all unfolded. He recalled the day Nawazuddin and Vijay walked in to meet the director of what was a massive theatrical production. “It was a very big play. I still remember the first day. Both of them came to meet the director, who asked them where they were from and why they wanted to act. Since there were no roles available, he said, ‘Let’s do one thing. Let’s make them trees, because we need trees.'” Manoj added that Nawazuddin and Vijay were not alone in this; they were part of a group of seven or eight actors who were all cast as trees in the play.
Manoj Bajpayee’s intense rehearsals left Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Raaz second-guessing acting
He also recalled how his non-stop rehearsals made Nawazuddin and Vijay question their decision to become actors. Seeing him work so hard apparently made them wonder if acting was really worth it. He shared with a laugh, “I used to rehearse like crazy. Rehearsals would go on all day long. Later, Nawaz told me that he and Vijay would watch me working so hard. They would go out and discuss whether acting really required this much hard work. They wanted to become stars, but after seeing me rehearse, they started thinking of going back because, ‘ye aadmi to itni gadha majduri kar raha hai (this man is working so hard).'” On top of that, Nawazuddin and Vijay had to stand on stage as trees for nearly two and a half hours.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Raaz became ‘panauti’ for the theatre director
Manoj also shared another funny incident involving the director of the play. It turns out, Nawazuddin and Vijay accidentally caused quite a bit of trouble for him. He recalled with a laugh, “Both of them became panauti (bad luck) for the director. He used to get so passionate while giving directions that he once collided with them and fell. The fracture was so bad that screws had to be inserted. During the rest of the play, he would direct with one hand. Everyone used to tease him, saying these two guys were panauti for him.”
How important do you think intense rehearsals are for actors?
Manoj Bajpayee on his lifelong friendship with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Raaz
He also reflected on how those early theatre days were the foundation of his long-lasting friendships with Nawazuddin and Vijay. The three were not just colleagues on stage but companions who shared everything from travel to meals. He said warmly, “Nawaz and Vijay Raaz have been my friends since that time. We used to travel together and stay in the same halls. Wherever we were hosted, we would all be accommodated together. We would eat at the mess or sometimes at a hotel.”
