Bhaiyya Ji OTT Release EXCLUSIVE- Director Recalls Manoj Bajpayee's Professionalism: He Fell, Entire Set Heard

Bhaiyya Ji OTT release time: It's a dream come true for any director to collaborate with a stalwart like Manoj Bajpayee. And that too, not once but twice. As Filmibeat interacted with the talented Apoorv Singh Karki over a cup of coffee, we talked about his latest film Bhaiyya Ji.

Here are excerpts from the interview-

"How did your previous collaboration with Manoj Bajpayee in 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' influence your approach to directing 'Bhaiyya Ji'?

The influence primarily came from the excellent tuning we developed during 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai.' During the making of that film, we discussed our desire to create an over-the-top commercial film, which we were both very passionate about. Manoj Sir is a phenomenal actor and an incredible team player who places a lot of trust in the director's conviction and gets deeply involved in the project. This influenced me significantly. Typically, one finishes a film and moves on to the next, but in this case, we became great friends on the set of 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai,' so it felt like carrying forward that relationship.

"Can you share any memorable behind-the-scenes moments from the sets of 'Bhaiyya Ji'?

There are many memorable moments, but one stands out. One day, Manoj sir was supposed to fly and shoot a bullet simultaneously, but he fell. The entire set heard a loud cracking noise, and I thought we would have to stop shooting. We had 20 days left, but within 10 minutes, Manoj Sir was back up and shooting again. This incident reflects his professionalism. Another incident I could recall, while shooting in Lucknow, Manoj Sir would order amazing local delicacies for us every day. This culinary indulgence led to my cholesterol levels rising, which I discovered through a blood test afterwards (laughs). We enjoyed Lucknow's cuisine so much that we decided to take a break from such rich foods for a couple of months.

"Since 'Bhaiyya Ji' is a story from the heartland, how well do you understand the pulse of such stories? What kind of research goes into making a story from the heartland?

It's more about experience than research. I was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh, where my father was posted for many years before Uttarakhand became a separate state. The stories around us were naturally of the heartland, as we lived that life and heard those tales daily. 'Bhaiyya Ji' draws from such experiences. Manoj Sir, being from Bihar, is also deeply rooted in the heartland. When people from such backgrounds collaborate, the stories emerge naturally from shared experiences rather than extensive research.

Bhaiyya Ji is available for streaming on ZEE5.