Divya Dutta lauds Gajab Raat co-star Manoj Bajpayee for treating newcomers as equals, says working with him leaves one spoiled | HT Exclusive

Divya Dutta has praised Manoj Bajpayee for the way he works with fellow performers, particularly newcomers. The actor said Bajpayee treats less-established colleagues as equals, an approach that has made working with him especially memorable.

Dutta described Bajpayee as one of the most impressive actors in the industry and said he had long been on her professional bucket list. Despite appearing together in four films, however, the two had rarely shared meaningful screen space.

A long-awaited collaboration

The actor recalled that their paths had crossed without giving them a substantial scene together. In Special 26, she said Bajpayee only ran past her for a brief moment. That limited interaction became part of a running promise between the two performers that they would eventually work together properly.

According to Dutta, that opportunity finally arrived twice this year. One of those collaborations is Gajab Raat, in which she worked with Bajpayee as a co-star.

Why Dutta’s praise stands out

Dutta’s comments focus less on Bajpayee’s reputation alone and more on his conduct on set. Her description of him treating newcomers as equals highlights the professional impact of an established actor who makes colleagues feel included.

She also suggested that working with Bajpayee can leave performers with unusually high expectations for future collaborations. For Dutta, the long-awaited partnership has turned a series of near encounters into two opportunities to share the screen in the same year.