Yogesh Mishra | yogesh@bollywoodtown.in
Manish Wadhwa, an actor best known for playing Chanakya in the television series “Chandragupta Maurya,” aspires to make India intact again. He stated in an exclusive interview with Yogesh Mishra that he wished to see Akhand Bharat, restored in its entirety. Manish has contributed to numerous TV series and films, including Pathaan, Gadar-2, Padmaavat, and Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi etc. In addition, he has contributed to numerous Hollywood films. In this exclusive conversation, he talked about his favourite Bollywood star, his experience working with Sunny Deol on Gadar-2, the possible threat that OTT poses to the big screen industry, and much more.
From the screen image of Chanakya to a Pakistani Major General in Gadar-2, where do you find yourself now as an actor?
I am a work in progress with a lot more to learn.
How was your working experience with actor Sunny Deol in Gadar-2?
It was a learning curve. He taught me how to be calm in real no matter how loud one’s role might be on reel.
OTT being one of the fastest-growing mediums of entertainment, do you think OTT can be a threat to the big screen industry?
Not at all, OTT is New Media, they both have its own place, all that matters are it serves the core purpose of entertainment.
Out of your own films, which is your favourite, and why?
Definitely Gadar 2, for all of its elements, how it was patriotic, family oriented, had love and hate, values for all relationships and how love obviously defeats hate.
An actor lives more than one life by playing different kinds of roles; would any particular character or role that you have played in the past like to live in real life?
Out of all the roles that I have played, if I could pick just one element of each, it would be great because they all taught me something. But if I had to pick one, I think it would be Chanakya because of his goal of an Akhand Bharat.
Since you have played the character of Acharya Chanakya, who had a great vision of making India intact (Akhand Bharat), and our current government also has a few similar visions, like being a world leader (Vishwaguru) and developing a country by 2047, what is your personal view on this?
My dream too is Akhand Bharat. I am eager for our country to once again become ONE. Our country was the “Sone ki Chidiya”, and now I hope it becomes the “Sone ka Haathi”. I try to do whatever it takes to somehow contribute to the growth of our country.
This is the election season in India. Given a chance, would you like to join politics?
Never really gave it a thought, but now that you ask, I must think about it.
Who is your favourite Bollywood actor and why?
Amitabh Bachchan, my childhood hero, for obvious reasons. But there are such fabulous actors these days; dare I pick one.
What are your upcoming projects?
I’m working on a couple projects, and a few things are in the pipeline.
Any message for the readers of “Bollywood Town”?
Gratitude to all. Humesha pyaar diya hai, aage bhi dete rahiye.
