‘Salute to all the journalists’, says Manoj Bajpayee on playing a crime journalist

Manoj Bajpayee’s film Despatch showcases him in a never-seen before character of an investigative journalist. The film is a deep dive into the life of Joy Bag who is chasing a big breaking story in the world of crime investigative journalism. Directed by Kanu Behl, Despatch follows Joy Bag, a determined crime journalist played by Manoj, who dives into a perilous investigation of the 2G spectrum scam. As he uncovers a web of corruption involving powerful individuals, Joy soon realizes that his pursuit of truth could cost him his life. As he fights to stay relevant and get his hands on a breaking story, his personal life goes through a major upheaval as his marriage is falling apart and he is entangled in an affair. But Despatch is more than just a story on a crime journalist; it also dives into the human psyche in a matter of crisis.
In a recent discussion, Manoj engaged with investigative journalists and spoke openly about the emotional and psychological toll of journalism, emphasizing the inner conflicts journalists endure: “The greed, the fear, the basic needs, the family—how much conflict a journalist of this nature goes through. A journalist is a human being and goes through a lot of personal conflict. In any field, a person deals with greed, fear, basic needs, and family. The level of conflict a journalist faces on a day-to-day basis is significant. This is something we should discuss and bring to the table”.