"My honesty with regards to the project (film) is such that we are pursuing it since two years. And all the producers that I have gone to, would run away after the narration. They would call me and say that if there was anything else, they would be keen but not this one because they could face issues," Bajpayee said at the launch of the film directed by Devashish Makhija.
"There is a fear which is completely understandable, since a person who is ready to put in money, does not want to take risks. And I am completely sure that this film will be made definitely and I am very stern about it," the actor stressed.
Filmmakers Tigmanshu Dhulia, Sudhir Mishra and Anurag Kashyap were present at the launch. Considering the fact that all three are producers, Manoj was asked if he wants them to produce the feature.
"Even if these three do not produce, get someone from outside, we will make it. We are already ready to shoot it, everything is ready, just give us the opportunity to shoot and Devashish will do the recce in four days," he said.
Anurag said that he had read the first draft five years ago and told Devashish, "If this short film is what you are planning to make as a film, it is a great thing and if you are searching for a producer, we can talk about it."
Bajpayee also quipped that this short film was the first look of that feature film. Manoj plays a Maharashtrian constable in the short film, after previously playing a Maharashtrian character in "Satya" while his character in "Aligarh" also teaches Marathi, both of which have been dubbed as one of his best works.
Will this Marathi constable in the feature film live up to that level, Manoj replied, "I do not know because we have not worked on it till now. But because I know about the research work we have done on it, and the numerous times we had conducted reading of it, an initial preparation to it has already been done, And at that time whether the 'sur' would fit in properly or it would falter, or everything would be perfect, we really do not know."
Manoj had also featured in another short film, "Jai Hind" with Raveena Tandon last year.