"While growing up, it was no doubt that I admired Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. I couldn't compare anyone else with him. But when I moved to Delhi to explore theatre, is when I understood where I stand as an actor I was brutally told, rather," Manoj said.
"I couldn't even pronounce certain words correctly and people used to pass remarks like 'Naseeruddin Shah ki picturein nahi dekhi hai kya?' I hadn't because these movies never played in my hometown. That's when I started watching Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah's movies and observed the nuances of their performances," he added.
The National Award winner was blown away by their work.
"That's when I felt that if I ever have the good fortune to meet them and work with them, I will have achieved all," Manoj said on "The Kapil Sharma Show".
The actor shared this with great respect and admiration for the veteran actors and even mentioned that he calls up Naseeruddin sometimes post-midnight when he is in an emotional mood.
"We usually speak about actors like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, and no doubt they are great actors and we have learnt a lot from them, but when it comes to Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, if you track their filmography, in their youth especially, they have portrayed such intense characters for little or no monies is commendable and inimitable.
"I don't think anyone would have done this or will be able to do this ever," said Manoj.
( With inputs from IANS )