Manoj Bajpayee Birthday Special: Did You Know The Actor Was Married Before Tying The Knot With Neha?

Manoj Bajpayee, who has become one of the most celebrated and acclaimed actors of the Hindi film industry, celebrates his 52nd birthday today, on 23rd April. His prowess in acting is no secret. But did you know, the Gangs of Wasseypur actor’s marriage to Shabana Raza, who is also called Neha his actually his second marriage? Read on to know about it.

Manoj Bajpayee began his acting career in the Hindi film industry, with brief roles in 1994, with films like Drohkaal and Bandit Queen. His claim to fame and acclaim, however, came four years later, in 1998, when he played the role of gangster Bhikhu Mhatre in Satya, a film directed by Ram Gopal Verma. Not only did his role become iconic, but he also won the National Award for the Best Supporting Actor for it.

Manoj Bajpayee later went on to star in a lot of films, for which he earned immense love and praises, like Pinjar, Veer-Zaara, Raajneeti, and Special 26. He also recently won another National Award for the Best Actor, for his film, Bhonsle.

Manoj Bajpayee has been married to actress Shabana Raza, who is also known as Neha, her screen name. The two had met after Shabana Raza’s acting debut in 1998, with the film Kareeb, which also starred Bobby Deol, and was directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The actress first met Manoj Bajpayee after the release of the film, when it was released along with Manoj Bajpayee’s Satya. The two later got married in 2006. They also have a daughter, named Awa Nailah, who was born in 2011.

Also read: 12 Actors Like Manoj Bajpayee And Rahul Dev Who Took Our Breath Away With Their Command On Local Dialects!

It is a rarely known fact that Manoj Bajpayee was married even before tying the knot with Neha. Reportedly, he had married a girl from Delhi, when he was in his struggling days. However, their matrimony could not last long and the couple got separated just two months after marriage.

On the work front, Manoj Bajpayee was last seen in ZEE5’s web film, Silence… Can You Hear It. Next, he will be seen in the films Dial 100 and Despatch, both of which are slated to release in 2021.

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