Manoj Bajpayee Finds Creative Awakening at Neem Karoli Baba Ashram
Manoj Bajpayee revealed his visit to Neem Karoli Baba Ashram with director Raam Reddy before Jugnuma, sharing how the script and spiritual experience revived his fading passion for cinema and creativity.
Actor Manoj Bajpayee recently shared that before starting shoot of his upcoming film Jugnuma (The Fable), he and director Raam Reddy visited the revered Neem Karoli Baba Ashram at Kainchi Dham, Uttarakhand. For both, this spiritual halt became a catalyst for inspiration before stepping into the film’s universe.
Set in the late 1980s, Jugnuma unfolds amidst the tranquil Himalayas, weaving together magical realism with themes of generational trauma, class disparity, superstition, and mysticism. The film, already showcased at international arenas such as the Berlinale, Berlin and Leeds International Film Festivals, and Mumbai’s MAMI Festival, hit theatres last week, offering audiences a cinematic odyssey.
Explaining their unique choice, Manoj revealed that he and Raam Reddy, also celebrated for his award-winning film Thithi, decided not to head directly to the shooting site but instead “meet in the middle.” That middle turned out to be the ashram.
Speaking to Just Too Filmy, the National Award-winning actor said, “We went to Babaji's cave. We meditated and some magical things happened. We both witnessed it. As we were climbing down both of us said, 'We found the film'... It's just a feeling. If you ask me to narrate it to you, I can't.”
Interestingly, Manoj also admitted that before embarking on this journey, he had been in a disquieting phase. He recalled feeling so restless that he almost decided to abandon his acting career altogether. This period of self-doubt occurred just before shooting the first season of his acclaimed series The Family Man, whose third season is now one of the most awaited releases of the year.
“I was going through a phase where I felt restless. It made me feel that ‘Time is up and I should leave this profession’. Just before Jugnuma, I didn’t work for a year,” he reflected.
His wife, former actor Shabana Raza, became his anchor during this turmoil. “She told me, ‘Do whatever work you want to do. If you feel like leaving this city and industry, we are ready for it.’” According to Manoj, the script of Jugnuma eventually gave him the answers he was seeking and rekindled his artistic spirit.
The film’s resonance is not only artistic but spiritual. The ashram has long drawn admirers including actor Anushka Sharma and cricketer Virat Kohli, both ardent followers of Neem Karoli Baba.
