Synonymous with Indian hosting on stage as well as on television, fondly regarded as the Sultan of Stage, Maniesh Paul has established himself as a successful host and actor over the years.
Beginning his career as an RJ, VJ, and then creating a revolution in hosting on Indian television, Maniesh Paul has scaled an impressive journey. Recently turned into a nationwide sensation with the humungous success of Jugjugg Jeeyo, Maniesh Paul garnered recognition and love for his vibrant, energetic, and entertaining character as Gurpreet in the latest release.
As the actor and host celebrate his birthday today, we take a look back on the incident that changed the face of Indian hosts, and some unknown facts about the actor.
Revolutionizing hosting:
Having hosted numerous awards shows, live stage events, and reality shows, Maniesh Paul was irked by the placement of the host on stage and decided to take charge which has now remained his trademark!
Revealing an incident from the early stage of their career, Maniesh Paul shared, “I saw I used to see a lot of hosting on television. One thing I really used to feel bad about was, why is it that the host is standing in one corner and all the heroes come center stage why is that? I said I would like to change that. I want to do change. I want to bring in this change. I remember I was hosting a very big award night and they told me, ‘Maniesh when you come on stage, that’s the corner for you. Okay?’
I said, if you don’t mind, I don’t want to stand there.
‘Where do you want to stand?’
I said center stage. They said okay, so they were in a hurry. They said, ‘Stand wherever you want. Just do your job.’
So I remember, I started hosting from there, and I felt so good. And now thankfully Touchwood nobody tells him to stand in a corner. They say ‘Maniesh stand wherever the show is yours.”
The Graduation story:
Love leads to major changes in one’s life, one such change instigated in Maniesh Paul’s life was his graduation that was inspired by his then-girlfriend, now wife- Sanyukta Paul!
Maniesh revealed, “I finished my graduation thanks to my then girlfriend who’s my wife now. She said I’ll marry you only if you’re graduate.”
Now the actor is not only a graduate but also one of the most loved actors in the industry and the most successful host in India!
Maniesh’s Mother used to dress up him in fancy dresses:
There’s nothing greater than parents’ love and support in achieving big dreams. Maniesh Paul was a young boy from Malviya Nagar in Delhi who aspired to achieve great heights and make it big as an actor, however, the path wasn’t easy. However, what made it easier was the constant support of his mother, right from childhood, Maniesh’s mother acknowledged the creative side of her son and offered wings to his dreams.
Narrating his adorable story, Maniesh shared, “With me, there was another person who used to dream with me, my mother. I’ll tell you how I used to be in all the fancy dress competitions, sometimes becoming Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Kapoor from Mera Naam Joker. I remember she used to work really hard. I don’t think there’s any shade of lipstick she’s left that he hasn’t been used on me to dress me for fancy dress competitions, but yes, I feel good today. Because now when I look back, that worked.”
Borrowed ties for photoshoots:
For an outsider with big dreams, Bollywood isn’t an easy path! From photoshoots to auditions, the road is filled with experiences and madness. Maniesh Paul also carved his journey with bitter-sweet moments that now stay etched as strong memories.
For his first ever photoshoot, Maniesh’s wife, then girlfriend would steal ties from her father’s wardrobe and put them back after the shoots, to support her childhood sweetheart!
Maniesh Paul’s musical journey:
RJ, VJ, host, actor, and also a singer, Maniesh Paul dons many hats! His singing talent bloomed when he hosted a singing reality show. The same was identified by the Superstar Salman Khan, who encouraged him for singing the debut Harjai with Lulia Vantur.