Manoj Bajpayee on shedding his intense image to make The Family Man's Srikant Tiwari relatable on screen: 'It was difficult to believe I could pull off this role' | Exclusive

Ahead of its highly anticipated release, actor Manoj Bajpayee provided exclusive insights into his iconic character, Srikant Tiwari, and the creative journey behind the web series The Family Man 3. Bajpayee revealed to OTTplay that the character’s success stemmed from an instant click with the creators, Raj and DK, and a clear goal to make the audience feel they were watching themselves on screen.

Instant click with Raj & DK

"Reading the script, you get the tone. My first encounter with Raj and DK happened in a very nice restaurant. In 20 minutes, they gave me the synopsis. Something clicked immediately. I could see the character then—what Srikant looks like and his outlook towards his job and family—everything," Bajpayee said.

He recalled the moment he knew he wanted the role, even before receiving the full script. "Even if those guys would have said, 'Ki yaar, Manoj, abhi samay lagega, ek mahina script ke.' Even then it would have been yes. And by the time I reached home, the two episodes were there. I was very curious. I read it, and then I was telling myself, 'Yaar, thoda sa isko aise kar dunga, thoda sa aise aise kar dunga.'"

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Making Srikant Tiwari relatable

Bajpayee explained that he saw the potential for the role to transcend the writing. "There was this role which could go beyond the writing and really become one of the audience. That was the goal. I personally wanted every audience member to feel that Srikant Tiwari is them. It’s not that they are watching a character. It is them on screen," he stated, adding, "I feel really lucky that the sur was correct and my directors were in sync with me. This doesn't happen every time; you only thank your luck."

DK also discussed the unexpected casting choice, given Bajpayee’s history of intense roles. "We had not met before that. Of course, I’m aware of Manoj Bajpayee. I’ve seen his work. I’ve seen him in Satya' and everything, and he’s always playing one evil person only, right?" DK joked.

Manoj Bajpayee on overcoming his intense image

Bajpayee affirmed, "You came to me after Aligarh."

DK went on to say, "But again, that's not, like, this is a new, a brand new thing for him. I must credit Mukesh Chhabra, who, when we were sitting early on discussing the casting, said, 'Manoj bhai is perfect.' Raj and I met him. The moment we saw him, that was it. He’s perfect. I’ve never met him in person; I’ve only seen him in real roles."

To which Bajpayee said, "All intense roles. It was difficult; if you don't know me, it would be difficult to believe I could pull off this kind of a role."

DK added, "You've played cops before, but you'd be serious." Bajpayee concurred, summarising his previous work: "All intense, mostly intense, indie films or mainstream films with a certain kind of intensity. Mostly intense. Moustache, all of that."

The Family Man Season 3 will begin streaming on Prime Video (subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the show with a top-up) beginning November 21, 2025.

FAQs:

Q: Why was Manoj Bajpayee an unexpected choice for Srikant Tiwari?

A: Director DK mentioned that Bajpayee was an unexpected choice because his previous filmography largely consisted of intense or serious roles, with DK joking that he had "always playing one evil person only." Bajpayee himself noted it was initially "difficult to believe I could pull off this kind of a role."

Q: How long did it take for Manoj Bajpayee to accept the role of Srikant Tiwari?

A: Bajpayee said the connection with creators Raj and DK was instantaneous. He recalled, "In 20 minutes, they gave me the synopsis. Something clicked immediately," and he was ready to say "yes" even before receiving the full script.

Q: When does The Family Man Season 3 release?

A: The Family Man Season 3 is scheduled to begin streaming on Prime Video (subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the show with a top-up) on November 21, 2025.