“I had strong desire to do a film set in Delhi”: Manoj Bajpayee on 'Gajab Raat'

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 22 (ANI): Actor Manoj Bajpayee opened up about his long-standing wish to work in a film set in Delhi, saying his years in the national capital helped him understand its language, culture and people. 
The actor will be seen in the upcoming crime thriller ‘Gajab Raat’, which also stars Divya Dutta, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Kiku Sharda and Nushrratt Bharuccha.
Directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey’s Friday Film Works, the film follows a police officer whose night takes an unexpected turn when he sees a severely injured girl being abandoned from a moving car in Delhi.
Speaking to ANI, Manoj said he had spent some of the best years of his life in Delhi, where he moved at the age of 18 to pursue his education and theatre. He said the city’s unique way of speaking and its mix of cultures made it an interesting setting for a film.
“I had a strong desire to do a film set in Delhi because I have lived there for many years, ever since I was 18. I have spent some of the best years of my life there, pursuing my college education and theatre.
“There is something unique about Delhi’s language and tone. It has a certain quirkiness, flavour and character, influenced by Western Uttar Pradesh, Punjabi and Haryanvi cultures, all of which come together in the Hindi spoken there. And you can see these influences reflected in the way the police speak and conduct themselves in Delhi,” he told ANI.
Manoj also spoke about Divya Dutta’s role in the film, saying the makers have kept important details about her character under wraps. He said audiences would get to see the actor in a different role and discover more about her character as the story unfolds.
Describing her character as “smart” and someone who has “a lot going on”, Manoj said her role would bring an unexpected turn to the story.
“She’s smart and has a lot going on. Her character is amazing, and we have kept a lot of it hidden in the trailer. We want the audience to discover her character for themselves and talk about it after watching the film.
“Amid everything that unfolds during that night, Divya’s character will come as a surprise. Audiences will get to see her in a completely new avatar, unlike anything they have seen from her before,” Manoj Bajpayee told ANI.
‘Gajab Raat’ will be available to stream on Netflix from October 23. (ANI)