I was rejected at an audition because I was not ‘khandaani-looking’: Maniesh Paul

Actor-comedian Maniesh Paul is on a roll, both professionally and personally. After being a part of actor Salman Khan’s Da-Bangg world tour, he is back to doing what he does best — making people laugh through Science Of Stupids, a science fiction show aimed at entertaining the viewers, and educating them at the same time.

While he has certainly climbed his way to success in a short span of time, we asked him if he had any apprehensions before entering the entertainment industry, and he says, “Absolutely none. Even my parents had no issues. They always said ‘You are made for it’ (acting). I was very sorted, but the only thing I was worried about was whether my appearance would be accepted or not. (Being accepted ) was the biggest surprise for me.”

He also recalls the funniest audition he had to give for a project. “I was rejected at an audition. The people there gave the reason ki humein ‘khandaani looking’ ladka chahiye. Mujhe uss din apne aap par shak hua and I called up my father to ask ki hum khandaani nahi hain kya?!”, laughs Maniesh.

Paul is often fondly referred to as the ‘Sultan of Stage’ by fellow actors and fans alike, and for good reason. Maniesh has, after all, been a part of several dance, singing, and comedy shows, and has carved a niche for himself in the world of anchoring, with his quirky sense of humour and his spontaneity on stage.

However, success didn’t come easy. “Rejections used to happen saying ‘aapki photo achhi nahi aayi’.. I wanted to ask them ‘kaam photo se karana hai ya bande se!”, adds the actor, who went on to play leading roles in films such as Mickey Virus (2013) and Tere Bin laden 2 (2016).

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