Manish Paul Interview: Was numb after hearing the news of cousin’s death, but was making people laugh by being host – Manish Paul

Has your strong character in Jug Jug Jio helped you establish yourself as an actor?

I am very happy that my work has been appreciated. Today if the film is being discussed even after one year, then this is the success of my work. It definitely helps when you have a hit film and your character is loved. In this film, the public gave me more love than I expected. I didn’t think Actually, I played that character with all my heart as an actor, but the result would be so sweet, I did not think. I also got awards for this role, which I did not expect at all. This film has boosted my confidence as an actor.

Manish, your image has been very strong in host and comic characters, so how challenging was it for you to break away from the strong image you have created?

See, while working, an actor is not able to realize that a strong image has been made of him. He is doing his work. Now that I have created that image, I will also have to break it. I have been trying to break it for a long time. I tried a lot. I was constantly meeting people and telling them that I too can do intense roles. When director Ritam Srivastava offered me ‘Rafuchakkar’, I was very happy. The funny thing is that Ritam is a close friend of Jug Jug Jio director Raj Mehta and when I was working with him, he was not even aware that Ritam had approached me for such an intense role. When I was going to meet Ritam, Raj called me and said, the person you are going to meet is a very good friend of mine, see if the story will be good. It was a happy coincidence for me that after a light-hearted role in Jug Jug Jio, I was going to do such a deep character. Ritam helped me a lot as a director to get to the bottom of the roles.

You started your career as an MC of small malls and events in Delhi, but today you are the number one host, so how was the phase of struggle for you?

Like every artist, I have also had to struggle and work hard. It was a learning period for me. My mother taught me that the sun never fades. Yes, sometimes clouds come and surround it, so I never gave up. My wife Sanyukta supported me a lot in this journey. When I came to Mumbai, I had shifted to Chembur and had to come to Andheri to struggle. When I didn’t have money to come to Andheri, I used to walk from Chembur to the airport and take a bus to Andheri from there. He used to call people for work and auditions while sitting on the steps of Fun Republic Cinema in Andheri. There is a washroom behind Fun Republic, which cannot be used by the public, but I had befriended the guard, so I used to request him to let me wash my face and hands in that washroom so that I could get ready and go for the audition. . Those days also used to be days. Yash Raj Films’ office is in the same street, where there are many sandwich vendors. I used to take my lunch there after having a sandwich. When my wife, who used to be my girlfriend then, would call me, I would say that I am just sitting at Yash Raj having lunch. Right now I am on this side of the wall and soon I will go to the other side of the wall. There is only one wall that I will cross. Soon I crossed that wall.

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You have also been a well-known host, so have you ever been through a show must go on situation?

Had to go through it many times. I remember once my cousin had died. I was hosting a show which was double shift. My wife had received this news in the morning, but she did not tell me, but by the evening she could not resist and shared it with me. I had no reaction, I said numbly, okay. After that I kept shooting till night, making people laugh because I could not leave the shooting. I reached only after pack up and everyone was waiting for me. Sometimes you don’t feel like working or your health is bad, but work has to be done. We are entertainers and our job is to entertain, so it is not the audience’s problem what is going on in my personal life? I have to keep her to myself.

Coming to your latest web series, you are in five different getups and roles, so which was the most difficult role for you?

To be honest, this entire web series has been very challenging for me. For the first time I am doing such an intense role and that too in not only one but five roles. The intensity of all the five characters was very intense. A lot of work had to be done, but it took maximum effort for the old character Satish. In fact, there were too many prosthetics and when you put on prosthetic makeup, you feel very hot. It sticks to your face. Your expressions get controlled. I had to put on 20 kilos for one character and lose the same weight for another, so it was not difficult either. Heavy prosthetic make-up used to cause breathlessness, sweating caused itching. But then when people saw the trailer and its response came, people were surprised. They didn’t think that I could do anything like this.

When did your Rafuchakkar moment come? Have you ever cheated or fooled someone?

I used to be number one in bunking class and being rough-and-tumble. This is the reason why even as a punishment I was made to stand outside my class. In school-college, I often used to find excuses as to how not to attend lectures. Apart from this, I often go to film parties without saying goodbye. I leave such parties quietly.

You are also known as a family man.

– I like to spend time with my family. I have to go home after pack-up. I don’t like going to parties or events. I also invite my friends to my home. I often go on holidays with my family.