DYK 12th Fail Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra Once Bit Manoj Bajpayee's Wife Shabana's Hand?

The Family Man actor Manoj Bajpayee has been married to Shabana Raza for more than 18 years. They met in the 1990s at a party celebrating the 100th episode of Hansal Mehta's Khana Khazana and fell in love. The couple tied the knot in 2006. However, not many know that Shabana was once a well-known actress who debuted in the film Kareeb and starred alongside actors like Hrithik Roshan and Irrfan Khan. However, after her 2009 film Acid Factory, she disappeared from the screen. Now, Manoj spoke about the reasons behind his wife's absence from films.

Manoj Bajpayee confirms Vidhu Vinod Chopra once bit his wife Shabana Raza’s hand

In a recent conversation with Mid-Day, Manoj Bajpayee shared that his wife never left acting but stopped receiving offers. He explained, “She didn’t quit films, she stopped getting work for some reason. Too many politics here and there. She is also an outsider and didn’t have any mentor.”

During the same interview, he recounted an incident involving filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who once bit her hand during a Kareeb shoot. Bajpayee elaborated, “Because Shabana didn’t have any film training of that sort, in the song she was raising a different hand altogether. In the scene, she was supposed to raise her left hand, but she would end up raising her right hand… so for her to raise the left hand without forgetting, Vidhu bit her there. Nobody can do this with me.”

Why Manoj Bajpayee’s wife Shabana Raza did not stand out?

He further explains why his wife didn’t oppose the act, saying, “Because she was so new, she didn’t know if the action was appropriate. She thought this was the way how filmmakers behave. She must have thought they are all mad geniuses, they are capable of doing anything they want.” In an old interview, Bobby Deol also shared the same incident, revealing more about Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s strictness on set.