Director-producer Ram Gopal Varma on Friday wrote a letter of appreciation for his Satya actor, National Award winner Manoj Bajpayee. Varma praised Bajpayee’s portrayal in a long note shared on X and lauded his magnetic portrayal.

“Hey @BajpayeeManoj, I learned a lot of new things after watching Satya after so many years.. You didn’t just play Bhiku – you became him and breathed life into the role that made me feel like watching cinematic characters at that time. Redefined mannerisms. Ur raw and magnetic portrayal elevated Satya from just being a gritty gangster film, Bhiku Mhatre is a strange blend of raw courage, humor, loyalty, and all this with a heavy dose of Mixed with unpredictability. From the moment you appeared on screen, you dominated every frame with your fiery presence as someone who could make us laugh one moment and stun us the next. Was,” read part of the post.

The director appreciated the actor’s ability to “be emotionally naked in front of the camera” and said, “The unpredictability you put into the character made every scene with Bhiku an event in itself. One of the most exciting moments for an actor. The big challenge is to be emotionally naked in front of the camera and that’s what you achieved in Satya.”

Starring Shefali Shah, Paresh Rawal, Urmila Matondkar and JD Chakraborty among others, Satya was released in theaters on 3 July 1998.