The compliment that took 25 years

At the re-release of Satya (1998) on Wednesday, the cast and crew got together to celebrate the film. They of course walked down memory lane, laughed at common jokes and were happy to see how far everyone has come. After the screening, Ram Gopal Varma got emotional and sent Manoj Bajpayee, who played the iconic character of Bhiku Mhatre, a long message complimenting his performance after 25 years. His message read, “I so wish you could have seen the film yesterday for you to truly understand what I am saying now. You didn’t just play Bhiku—you became him and breathed life into a role that redefined the way one viewed characters in cinema. You were raw, magnetic thus elevating Satya [JD Chakravarthy] high above from being just a gritty gangster. Bhiku Mhatre is a strange blend of raw courage, fun-filled humour, undying loyalty, and all this mixed with a dose of unpredictability. From the moment you appeared on screen, you dominated every frame with your fiery presence as a man who could make us laugh one moment and leave us stunned the next. What truly sets your performance apart is the unconventional depth you brought to Bhiku Mhatre by not being just a larger-than-life figure; but a man of believable contradictions, someone who could be seriously loving of his wife and equally ruthless in his business of crime. The most effective was the relationship between Bhiku and Satya. The chemistry you brought between the two of you was electrifying but it felt entirely organic. You made Bhiku’s trust and loyalty toward Satya feel so real that their bond became one of the strongest emotional pillars of the film. I still remember the scene where Bhiku confronts Kallu Mama [Saurabh Shukla] about Satya’s loyalty. Your intensity in that moment was staggering—the anger in your eyes, the weight in your voice. It was a masterclass in how to command attention without going over the top.” On reading the message, Manoj laughs and tells us, “It took 25 years for Ramu to compliment me on my performance. At that time, he was too involved in its making. On Wednesday night he was detached enough to watch it as a director and audience.”

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