Ask Maniesh Paul the secret of his ever-smiling face and he asks you for a million dollars. He’s the man with a hundred comebacks lined up. Someone who knows the art of delivery and no, he isn’t a bowler or a gynaecologist. Maniesh Paul always greets you like a long-lost friend and proceeds to tell you a fictional story about your last meeting, which is so entertaining you don’t have the heart to correct him. He is observant as hell so you remember to keep a poker face and mind your ps and qs, otherwise he’s sure to use your gaffes as the material for his next joke. But behind the quick smile, the quick laugh, hides a man who has as many problems as you and I. The difference is that he has learnt to laugh at them, learnt to turn them into punchlines. We’ve been chasing him for an interview for a long time and finally got to chat with him about being the entertainer he is and his aspirations of being a big screen star. Excerpts:
Did your life get changed after JugJugg Jeeyo?
My life has definitely changed after JugJugg Jeeyo. Before this, many filmmakers lacked confidence in giving me a role. JugJugg Jeeyo has shattered this myth. And the biggest credit goes to Karan Johar sir and my director, Raj Mehta, who gave me a lot of freedom to play the character.
You must already have an equation with Anil Kapoor and Varun Dhawan, as you have done many shows with them.
I was doing this film after a long gap with so many big actors. Yes, they were all friends, but at the end of the day, sharing the stage and the screen with Anilji and Neetuji are two different things. Things change when you are a host and an actor. I had thought it was a cakewalk, but it wasn’t. As an actor, when all these actors get involved in the scene, they become their characters.
You had a good relationship with Neetu Kapoor and the late Rishi Kapoor, too.
I had a good and different relationship with Rishiji. When he was in the US while undergoing treatment, I was in New York and I had gone to meet him. I remember we were having lunch and he asked me if I was in a hurry. When I said no, he said, “Chal aaja coffee pilata hoon.” Then he took me to his apartment and he made coffee for me. That was a huge moment for me, having him personally making coffee. Even Neetuji is quite humble. I enjoyed working with her.
How do you see your journey so far?
I have received a lot of love, more than I deserve, whether it is as a host, an RJ, or as an actor. My success didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of hard work to reach where I’m today. I have faced many rejections. When I came to Mumbai, I did not know anyone. And today, touchwood, I have so many friends in the industry. I don’t have any regrets. I don’t hold any grudges. I don’t have any anger against anyone.
Did you go through a low-phase in your career?
I did a film called Tere Bin Laden 2 (2016) which was well received and I thought I’d get big banner films after that but that didn’t happen. I was at the top of the hosting game and whatever I’ve achieved is because of hosting. It’ll forever be my first love but I also want to be known as an actor, I also want to win awards. That hunger still remains but the lack of films doesn’t bother me now. I’m positive that it’ll happen.
How do you define success?
Your journey is a success. How happy you are from within is a success. We don’t talk about our inner lives at all. That’s where the germ of the idea for my podcast came from. What I like about it is that people come to my show not to talk about their work but about themselves. As actors, we always wear a mask. You talk about an actor’s possessions – his new car, house, new hit but there is no news about the loneliness he goes through or the pressure he feels. And that’s where my show comes in. It gives my guests a chance to open up about their real problems. Everyone has a different journey, which you’re unaware of. Bharati Singh is a good friend but even I didn’t know half the things she revealed when she came on my podcast.
You are already a celebrity. What other successes are you aiming for?
Stardom is decided by the masses. Let the people decide how high you have reached. When I initially shifted to Mumbai, I wanted a bigger house, a bigger car, like everyone else. But then I realised that more than all this, family is important. So for me, success lies in the quality time I get to spend with my family. I don’t go to late night parties. I rush home after work to be with them and I make sure that in the morning, I get to spend at least an hour with them. Today, I have all the perks of stardom but tomorrow, I might not have them. But my family will always be there with me. They keep me grounded. They never treat me like a star. And my wife Sanyukta keeps our children grounded as well. They’re being brought up as normal children. We’ve always maintained that like everyone their father too has a job. They shouldn’t feel they’re the children of someone important or famous.
When you host reality shows or award shows, what is the biggest challenge you face?
You always have this fear whether you’d be able to make people laugh or not. Yes, you have a script but you don’t know whether the jokes will work or fall flat. You have to improvise a lot, gauging their mood. And remember, they have come to see interaction. So you interact with the other guests, interact with the audience, the contestants, if it’s a reality show. You have to come up with things on the spot to make the proceedings more lively.
Do you feel conscious when you have to interact with the big stars?
During my initial days, yes, I was scared, I was conscious. Like I’ve heard so many stories about Salman Khan so I was conscious about pulling his leg but he took it all sportingly. In fact, no one has ever complained about me till date. Be it Amitabh Bachchan saab or Shah Rukh Khan sir or any big star, they’ve all been sporting and cooperative. And I’ve always given them due respect. I always think of them as my brothers and sisters. They’re like family and that feeling will always remain in my heart throughout my life.
How do you keep your smile up and perform even when you’re hurting from the inside?
You should never let what’s eating you inside show on your face.That’s what makes us performers. Recently, I was hosting a show and Sanyukta was calling constantly. My makeup man informed me that ma’am had called up three-four times. When I called her back, I got to know that a close relative had passed away. I couldn’t wrap-up and rush home as I was in the middle of the shoot. I told her to handle it and went back to the shooting as if nothing had happened. I was deadpanning jokes while grieving on the inside.
Have you ever felt stereotyped?
It is easy to say that this actor can only do comedy; this one can show his six packs; this one can only do action; the mindset of the makers needs to change. There are many actors who have never realised their full potential because people only saw them through a prism of stereotype. It’s only when you look into the full range of an actor that great content will come.
Who is Maniesh Paul in real life?
In real life too, I don’t remain upset for more than five minutes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings. I’m emotional,
I have moods. This image of always being a jolly good fellow does have its drawbacks. Sometimes you’re in a hurry to catch a flight and might not interact with fans for that reason but they think you’re being rude. Sometimes, you might be feeling low and might not smile or wave and that gets noticed. You have to remember to wear a mask all the time and that becomes overbearing sometimes. But I guess that’s part and parcel of being an entertainer, a celebrity.
Do you ever get angry?
I don’t get angry easily. When I feel anger coming, I move away from that place and that person. Because I know that you might say something in anger, which will hurt you more later. You don’t want that to happen, especially with friends and family because those words will forever haunt you. So I move away for five minutes and compose myself and then I’m myself again. The smile is back on.
