When Amitabh Bachchan told Manoj Bajpayee, ‘Tell Jaya that I love her very much,’ during a terrifying 200-foot stunt

Manoj Bajpayee and Amitabh Bachchan throwback

Manoj Bajpayee has been everywhere lately, promoting The Family Man season 3, but one of his most memorable moments came during his recent stop at Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Sitting across from Amitabh Bachchan — someone he deeply admires — Manoj slipped into nostalgia and shared a story so funny (and mildly terrifying) that it had the entire studio laughing.

It was a memory from over 26 years ago, a time when Manoj was still finding his feet in the industry and didn’t yet have the confidence that now seems second nature to him.

He spoke openly about something many people didn’t know: he has struggled with severe vertigo all his life. Heights unsettle him, even a modest 20 feet off the ground. Yet, on one particular film set, he found himself being pushed into doing something that felt completely impossible.

“Amitji once almost got me killed,” Manoj began with a grin, instantly grabbing everyone’s attention. He explained how the action team on his film wanted him to jump from a towering 150–200-foot waterfall.

“They said that they would put a harness on me too,” he said, still sounding slightly traumatised at the memory. The fear was so real that he flat-out refused. “I’ll die. I’ll get a heart attack,” he had told them — but the team wasn’t ready to give up.

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In desperation, they turned to the most powerful influence on set: Amitabh Bachchan. Manoj recalled exactly how Amitabh approached him, calm and reassuring. “Amitji said, ‘Look, Manoj, I’m here. We’ll only go up to 50 feet. I’ve already told them I can’t take you higher—it could be dangerous because he’s scared.’ They put a harness on us, and don’t look down. Look straight.”

But what actually happened was… very different. Manoj remembered the moment he realised something was wrong. “But I realised we were rising far beyond 50 feet. I shouted, ‘Sir! Sir! We’re going up 100 feet!’”

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And Amitabh’s response? It was pure Big B — dry, dramatic, and unforgettable. Manoj said Amitabh replied calmly, “Listen… if anything happens, tell Jaya that I love her very much.”

The studio erupted in laughter — Amitabh included, along with guest Jaideep Ahlawat — as Manoj relived the moment with the same mix of fear and fondness he must have felt back then.

Manoj and Jaideep were on the KBC stage to promote The Family Man 3, which premiered 21 November, but it was this little slice of history that ended up stealing the spotlight.