Manoj Bajpayee height in feet is 5 feet 7 inches (175 cm), and behind that modest frame stands one of the most towering talents in the history of Indian cinema.
Born in a small village in Bihar, he rose from three rejections at the National School of Drama to becoming a four-time National Film Award winner, a Padma Shri recipient, and the face of Prime Video India’s most-watched series of 2025.
This 2026 guide covers everything fans and followers want to know — his exact height, current age, estimated net worth, family life, career milestones, physical stats, filmography, awards, and upcoming projects.
Manoj Bajpayee Quick Facts 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Manoj Bajpayee |
| Date of Birth | 23 April 1969 |
| Age (2026) | 56 years old |
| Birthplace | Belwa, West Champaran, Bihar, India |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (175 cm) |
| Weight | 70 kg (154 lbs) |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black / Salt & Pepper |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Profession | Actor, Producer |
| Debut Film | Bandit Queen (1994) |
| Breakthrough Role | Satya (1998) as Bhiku Mhatre |
| Wife | Shabana Raza (aka Neha) |
| Daughter | Ava Nayla Bajpayee (born 2011) |
| Net Worth (2026) | ₹170 crore (~$20 million USD) |
| Residence | Andheri, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Production Company | Manoj Bajpayee Productions Pvt. Ltd. |
| @manojbajpayee | |
| @BajpayeeManoj |
Manoj Bajpayee Height in Feet: The Exact Measurement
Manoj Bajpayee height in feet is 5 feet 7 inches, which converts to 175 centimetres or 1.75 metres. This is a slightly above-average height for Indian men and sits comfortably in the range of many of Bollywood’s most celebrated leading actors.
His height has never been considered a defining physical attribute, and that is precisely what makes his career so remarkable. In an industry that often prizes looks and physique above all else, Manoj Bajpayee built an unrivalled legacy purely through the extraordinary quality of his performances.
Directors from Ram Gopal Varma to Hansal Mehta to Raj & DK have repeatedly cited how his physical presence on screen defies his actual height — he commands every frame he occupies through expression, stillness, and intensity alone.
Height Comparison with Other Bollywood Actors
| Actor | Height |
|---|---|
| Manoj Bajpayee | 5 ft 7 in (175 cm) |
| Amitabh Bachchan | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Shah Rukh Khan | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Nawazuddin Siddiqui | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Irrfan Khan | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Pankaj Tripathi | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
At 5 feet 7 inches, Manoj Bajpayee stands taller than Nawazuddin Siddiqui and at a comparable height to Shah Rukh Khan, both of whom are considered icons of Indian cinema in their own right.
Manoj Bajpayee Age and Date of Birth
Manoj Bajpayee was born on 23 April 1969 in Belwa village, West Champaran district, Bihar, India. As of 2026, he is 56 years old.
He is a Taurus by zodiac sign, a sign traditionally associated with patience, determination, and emotional depth — qualities that resonate strongly with the kind of roles he has spent three decades choosing and portraying.
Despite being in his mid-fifties, Bajpayee remains one of the most energetically active performers in Indian cinema and OTT, with multiple films and projects in various stages of production heading into 2026.
Manoj Bajpayee Physical Stats and Body Measurements
| Physical Stat | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in / 175 cm |
| Weight | 70 kg (154 lbs) |
| Chest | 40 inches |
| Waist | 32 inches |
| Biceps | 14 inches |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black (Salt & Pepper in recent years) |
| Shoe Size | 8 (UK) |
Bajpayee maintains a lean and disciplined physique despite his demanding schedule across films and web series productions simultaneously. He is known for transforming his body significantly for specific roles — most notably gaining visible muscle definition and rugged physicality for action-heavy projects.
Manoj Bajpayee Early Life and Background
Manoj Bajpayee was born into a simple farming family in Belwa village, a small settlement near the city of Bettiah in West Champaran, Bihar.
His father, Radhakant Bajpai, was a farmer who dreamed of becoming a doctor but was unable to pursue that path due to financial constraints. He subsequently wanted Manoj to become a doctor.
Bajpayee is the second of six siblings and grew up in modest rural conditions, studying in what he has described as a basic “hut school” until the fourth standard before moving to Khrist Raja High School in Bettiah for his formal education.
He completed his 12th standard from Maharani Janaki Kunwar College in Bettiah. A pivotal moment came in his teenage years when he read interviews of Naseeruddin Shah and Raj Babbar, who mentioned studying at the National School of Drama in Delhi. That single reading changed the direction of his entire life.
Manoj Bajpayee Education and Move to Delhi
At the age of seventeen, Manoj Bajpayee packed his bags and moved to New Delhi to pursue his dream of becoming an actor.
He was initially enrolled at Satyawati College before transferring to Ramjas College at Delhi University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree while simultaneously beginning his journey toward the stage.
His dream was to gain admission to the National School of Drama (NSD), India’s premier drama training institution. The NSD rejected him three times. After his third rejection, Bajpayee has spoken candidly in interviews about reaching an emotional low point and briefly contemplating giving up entirely.
He persisted. He joined theatre groups in Delhi, most notably working under the guidance of acting coach Barry John — a mentor who shaped the foundational technique behind what would eventually become one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated performance styles.
Manoj Bajpayee’s Journey to the National School of Drama
Bajpayee was eventually accepted at the National School of Drama after years of dedication in Delhi’s theatre circuit.
The NSD experience gave him a systematic understanding of method acting, character study, and emotional truth that has defined his approach to every role he has ever played.
He joined Barry John’s theater group, performing in numerous plays and honing a naturalistic acting style that would later make his film performances feel unlike anything audiences had seen in mainstream Bollywood cinema.
Career Beginnings: Television and Early Films
Manoj Bajpayee’s first screen appearance was in the Doordarshan television series Shikast in 1993, where he played a small supporting role.
His first film appearance came in 1994 with a minor role as a dacoit in Shekhar Kapur’s landmark film Bandit Queen, which brought him his first brief exposure to the film world at the highest level of direction available in Indian cinema at that time.
He appeared in several other small roles through the mid-1990s, including a part in the 1994 television drama Swabhimaan and the crime thriller Drohkaal (1994).
These early years were characterized by struggle, persistence, and a deliberate commitment to craft over commerce — a philosophy that would define his entire career.
The Breakthrough: Satya (1998)
Everything changed for Manoj Bajpayee in 1998 with Ram Gopal Varma’s gritty crime drama Satya.
His portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre — a foul-mouthed, intensely loyal, and explosively emotional Mumbai gangster — was unlike anything Hindi cinema had produced. It was raw, terrifying, funny, and heartbreaking simultaneously.
Bajpayee won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Satya in 1999. He also received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor that year, and the performance is still widely cited by critics and directors as one of the finest acting debuts in Indian film history.
Ram Gopal Varma later said of Bajpayee: “He is simply the best actor I have ever worked with.”
Major Films and Career Milestones
Manoj Bajpayee has appeared in over 70 films across Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil cinema. Here are his most significant career milestones.
| Year | Film / Project | Role | Award / Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Bandit Queen | Dacoit Maan Singh | Film debut |
| 1998 | Satya | Bhiku Mhatre | National Award – Best Supporting Actor |
| 1999 | Shool | Samar Pratap Singh | Filmfare Critics Best Actor |
| 2003 | Pinjar | Ramchand | National Award – Special Jury Award |
| 2003 | LOC: Kargil | Major Padmapani Acharya | War drama |
| 2010 | Raajneeti | Veerendra Pratap | Political thriller |
| 2012 | Gangs of Wasseypur | Shahid Khan | Iconic crime saga |
| 2016 | Aligarh | Prof. Ramchandra Siras | Asia Pacific Best Actor |
| 2018 | Bhonsle | Ganpat Bhonsle | National Award – Best Actor (2021) |
| 2019 | Sonchiriya | Man Singh | Action drama |
| 2019– | The Family Man | Srikant Tiwari | Prime Video India’s biggest series |
| 2022 | Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai | Advocate P.C. Solanki | Critically acclaimed legal drama |
| 2024 | Despatch | Joy Bag | Crime thriller |
| 2025 | Bhaiyya Ji | Title role | Action film |
The Family Man: Manoj Bajpayee’s Defining OTT Legacy
The Family Man, created by Raj & DK for Amazon Prime Video, premiered in 2019 and transformed the landscape of Indian OTT content permanently.
Bajpayee plays Srikant Tiwari — a middle-class Mumbai man who secretly works as an intelligence officer for a fictional division of the National Investigation Agency. The genius of the character is the tension between his extraordinary professional life and his very ordinary domestic struggles.
Season 1 launched in 2019 and was immediately celebrated for its witty dialogue, tonal balance between thriller and comedy, and Bajpayee’s masterful central performance.
Season 2 arrived in 2021 with Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the antagonist and became one of the most-watched Indian streaming series of that year.
Season 3 launched on November 21, 2025, and made history by becoming Prime Video India’s most-watched series in its debut week, reaching 96% of post codes across India and trending in the top five across 35 countries including the UK, Canada, Australia, the UAE, and Singapore.
Season 3 features Jaideep Ahlawat and Nimrat Kaur as major new additions, with the plot following Srikant being hunted by his own intelligence unit while protecting his family from a new threat.
Manoj Bajpayee Net Worth 2026
Manoj Bajpayee’s estimated net worth in 2026 is approximately ₹170 crore, which is equivalent to around $20 million USD.
This wealth has been accumulated over three decades through consistent high-value film commitments, the enormous global reach of The Family Man franchise on Amazon Prime Video, brand endorsements, and his production company’s activities.
He currently charges an estimated ₹5 to ₹6 crore per film and approximately ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore per brand endorsement deal.
Net Worth Breakdown
| Income Source | Estimated Contribution |
|---|---|
| Films (per film fee) | ₹5–6 crore per project |
| The Family Man (Prime Video) | Largest individual income source |
| Brand Endorsements | ₹50 lakh – ₹1 crore per deal |
| Production Company (Manoj Bajpayee Productions Pvt. Ltd.) | Secondary income stream |
| Web Series (other OTT) | Growing portion of annual income |
| Annual Income (estimated) | ₹15 crore / ~$2 million USD |
Despite his substantial wealth, Bajpayee is widely noted by industry colleagues and journalists for living a genuinely grounded, non-extravagant lifestyle that is strikingly at odds with his financial standing.
Manoj Bajpayee Property and Assets
Bajpayee owns a luxury apartment in the upscale Oberoi Springs complex in Andheri, Mumbai, valued at approximately ₹10 crore.
The home reflects the aesthetic preferences of both Bajpayee and his wife Shabana Raza, who designed the interiors personally. Key features of the home include a dedicated library space, a deliberately TV-free bedroom to protect his sleep quality, a child-friendly room for their daughter Ava, and a simple but elegant kitchen.
He also owns a separate property in Andheri estimated at ₹4 crore, as well as a collection of luxury vehicles.
Car Collection
| Car | Estimated Value |
|---|---|
| BMW 7 Series | ₹1.5 crore+ |
| Audi A6 | ₹60–80 lakh |
| Toyota Land Cruiser | ₹1.5 crore+ |
| Honda CR-V | ₹35–40 lakh |
Manoj Bajpayee Wife: Shabana Raza
Manoj Bajpayee met his wife Shabana Raza at the premiere of Satya in 1998. Shabana, who is known professionally as Neha, made her Bollywood debut in the 1998 film Kareeb.
Bajpayee has described his first impression of her as being immediately drawn to her simplicity — she was sitting quietly with oily hair and glasses at a party full of glamorously dressed Bollywood personalities, and that stood out to him instantly.
They became close friends before beginning a romantic relationship, and after dating for several years, they married in April 2006.
Shabana Raza is an actress who has appeared in several films but has largely stepped back from the industry to focus on their family life and the interior design and management of their Mumbai home.
Manoj Bajpayee Daughter: Ava Nayla Bajpayee
Manoj Bajpayee and Shabana Raza have one daughter, Ava Nayla Bajpayee, who was born in 2011.
Both parents are deeply protective of Ava’s privacy and make deliberate, consistent efforts to shield her from media attention and the pressures of public life that come with having two parents in the Indian film industry.
Bajpayee has spoken in multiple interviews about the importance of providing his daughter with a normal childhood away from cameras and celebrity culture.
Ava Nayla was around 14–15 years old in 2026 and remains one of the most carefully protected public figures in Bollywood’s family ecosystem.
Manoj Bajpayee Family Background
| Family Member | Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Radhakant Bajpai | Farmer from Belwa, Bihar |
| Mother | Name not publicly disclosed | Homemaker |
| Wife | Shabana Raza (Neha) | Actress, married April 2006 |
| Daughter | Ava Nayla Bajpayee | Born 2011, kept away from media |
| Siblings | 5 siblings (2 brothers, 2 sisters + 1 more) | Second child of six |
| Notable Sibling | Poonam Dubey | Fashion designer in the film industry |
Awards and Recognitions
Manoj Bajpayee is one of the most decorated actors in the history of Indian cinema, with a remarkable range of awards across film, television, and OTT platforms.
National Film Awards
| Year | Film | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Satya | Best Supporting Actor |
| 2004 | Pinjar | Special Jury Award |
| 2021 | Bhonsle | Best Actor |
Filmfare Awards
| Year | Film | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Satya | Critics Award for Best Actor |
| 2000 | Shool | Critics Award for Best Actor |
| 2017 | Aligarh | Critics Award for Best Actor |
| 2021 | The Family Man | OTT Award – Best Actor |
Other Major Awards
| Award | Year | For |
|---|---|---|
| Padma Shri | 2019 | Lifetime contribution to Indian cinema |
| Asia Pacific Screen Award – Best Actor | 2016 | Aligarh |
| Asia Pacific Screen Award – Best Actor | 2021 | Bhonsle |
| Filmfare OTT Award – Best Actor | 2021 | The Family Man |
| Stardust Award | Multiple | Various roles |
Bajpayee holds four National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards, placing him among the elite group of Indian actors who have won multiple national honours.
Upcoming Projects in 2026
Manoj Bajpayee heads into 2026 with one of the most active project slates of any senior actor in Indian cinema.
Projects currently in production or post-production include an untitled collaboration with director Ram Gopal Varma, who directed him in his breakthrough film Satya. There is also an untitled project with co-star Nawazuddin Siddiqui and a separate film with director Ben Rekhi currently in post-production.
Additional upcoming projects include Police Station Mein Bhoot (currently filming), Governor (in pre-production), and the highly anticipated Adaab Dawood Ibrahim Bol Raha Hoon in which he plays Dawood Ibrahim.
The Family Man Season 3’s record-breaking viewership in late 2025 has generated significant discussion about a potential Season 4, though no official announcement had been made as of early 2026.
| Project | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Untitled (RGV) | Production Unknown | Reunion with Ram Gopal Varma |
| Untitled (Nawazuddin) | Production Unknown | High-profile co-lead |
| Untitled (Ben Rekhi) | Post-production | International collaboration |
| Police Station Mein Bhoot | Filming | Horror comedy |
| Governor | Pre-production | Political drama |
| Adaab Dawood Ibrahim | Production Unknown | Plays Dawood Ibrahim |
Manoj Bajpayee on Screen Presence and Craft
One of the most frequently asked questions about Manoj Bajpayee is why someone of 5 feet 7 inches appears so commanding and physically imposing on screen.
Directors who have worked with him consistently point to the same answer: his posture, breath control, and micro-expression technique create a physicality on camera that transcends his actual dimensions.
Shekhar Kapur, who directed him in Bandit Queen, said: “Manoj had the ability to portray a lot just by doing little. He never tried to overplay a scene and seemed totally comfortable with a minimalist statement.”
Hansal Mehta, director of Aligarh, has noted that “Manoj has the ability to transform himself like few others.” Nawazuddin Siddiqui has publicly credited Bajpayee’s performance in Aks (2001) as the direct inspiration for his own breakthrough role as the antagonist in Kick (2014).
Manoj Bajpayee Social Media Presence
Bajpayee is active on both Instagram and Twitter, maintaining a direct connection with his fan base across both platforms.
He joined Instagram in September 2016 and received verification in 2018. His first Instagram post, published on December 8, 2016, was a photo from the Asia Pacific Screen Academy’s Best Actor Award ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.
His social media presence is characteristically understated and authentic — he shares professional updates, personal reflections, and occasional glimpses of his work rather than the curated lifestyle content typical of most Bollywood celebrities.
| Platform | Handle |
|---|---|
| @manojbajpayee | |
| Twitter / X | @BajpayeeManoj |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is Manoj Bajpayee’s height in feet?
Manoj Bajpayee’s height is 5 feet 7 inches, which equals 175 centimetres or 1.75 metres, making him slightly above the average height for Indian men.
Q2. How old is Manoj Bajpayee in 2026?
Manoj Bajpayee is 56 years old in 2026, having been born on 23 April 1969 in Belwa village, West Champaran, Bihar, India.
Q3. What is Manoj Bajpayee’s net worth in 2026?
Manoj Bajpayee’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at approximately ₹170 crore (around $20 million USD), earned through films, The Family Man web series, brand endorsements, and his production company.
Q4. Who is Manoj Bajpayee’s wife?
Manoj Bajpayee’s wife is Shabana Raza, also known professionally as Neha, an actress who debuted in the 1998 film Kareeb. The couple met at the Satya premiere in 1998 and married in April 2006.
Q5. Does Manoj Bajpayee have children?
Yes, Manoj Bajpayee has one daughter named Ava Nayla Bajpayee, born in 2011. Both he and his wife Shabana Raza deliberately keep her away from media attention to give her a normal childhood.
Q6. Where was Manoj Bajpayee born and raised?
Manoj Bajpayee was born in Belwa village, West Champaran, Bihar, India, and moved to New Delhi at the age of seventeen to pursue acting at the National School of Drama.
Q7. How many National Film Awards has Manoj Bajpayee won?
Manoj Bajpayee has won three National Film Awards — Best Supporting Actor for Satya (1999), Special Jury Award for Pinjar (2004), and Best Actor for Bhonsle (2021).
Q8. What is Manoj Bajpayee’s most famous role?
Manoj Bajpayee is most widely known for two roles — Bhiku Mhatre in Satya (1998), his career-defining film breakthrough, and Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man (2019–2025), Prime Video India’s most-watched series of 2025.
Q9. What is Manoj Bajpayee’s per-film charge in 2026?
Manoj Bajpayee charges an estimated ₹5 to ₹6 crore per film in 2026, making him one of the highest-paid character actors in Indian cinema, with additional income from endorsements at ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore per deal.
Q10. What is Manoj Bajpayee’s upcoming project in 2026?
Manoj Bajpayee has several 2026 projects including an untitled film with Ram Gopal Varma, Adaab Dawood Ibrahim Bol Raha Hoon, Police Station Mein Bhoot (filming), and an untitled collaboration with Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Conclusion
Manoj Bajpayee height in feet may be 5 feet 7 inches, but every inch of that frame carries the full weight of one of Indian cinema’s greatest legacies.
From a farming family in Bihar to four National Awards, a Padma Shri, and the most-watched series on Prime Video India in 2025, his journey is a masterclass in perseverance, craft, and integrity.
At 56 in 2026, with a net worth of ₹170 crore, a loving family, and a project slate that would exhaust actors half his age, Manoj Bajpayee continues to define what it means to be a truly great actor in any language, on any screen, in any era.
