Actor Manoj Pahwa is one of the actors who has gracefully moulded himself in many roles. Still,when one thinks of Manoj Pahwa, all that comes to mind is comedy. This week, The Pioneer’s Tejal Sinha connects with the actor as he discusses his love for theatre, breaking the mould of being a ‘comedy actor’, and more.
Great actors put aside their own personalities and find humanity in even the darkest of characters. In fact, Paul Haggis, a Canadian screenwriter, and filmmaker, once very well said, ‘It turns out that good actors can make anything believable.’ While there have been many great actors in the film industry as a whole, we have some amazing actors who initially were typecast in a certain genre, but when they explored themselves, they just nailed it! Well, today our guest is one such actor, who was initially known for playing comedy roles, but his recent line-up of projects is testimony that he is more than just a funnyman.
Are you getting a blurry picture of it? Let’s make it clear to you: it’s none other than actor Manoj Pahwa. He’s been one of the artistes in the industry who has had his leg on not one or two but several subfields in the entertainment industry, from advertisement to theatre, television, or films. Though it has been unpredictable and challenging at times, he says, “Ultimately, the journey has been very interesting. There have been ups and downs, but I have been able to live some of my most cherished dreams as an actor, work with people I admire, travel the world, and also find myself gravitating towards theatre to stay connected with the stage, which was where I started my journey. In retrospect, from Hum Log in 1984 to now, there are no regrets, only gratitude.”
Recently, Manoj had been a part of Zee Theatre’s Koi Baat Chale, narrating the story of Saadat Hasan Manto’s Toba Tek Singh. “This story penned by Manto is one of the seminal tales about Partition,” begins the Dhamal actor on what inspired him to get on board for it. While he was doing his theatre in Delhi, it was then that he read about Toba Tek Singh. It was also the time when reading literature was also part of their training as actors. They’d also performed plays based on the writings of many literary stalwarts. “In Mumbai, as an actor, I am now intentionally reconnecting with theatre and stories that the younger generation may not recall. I also resumed my theatre practise thanks to Naseeruddin Shah who cast me in two plays Ismat Apa Ke Naam 2 and Aurat Aurat Aurat, both based on stories by Ismat Chughtai. Koi Baat Chale was an opportunity to rediscover Manto and Toba Tek Singh. It is the dream of any actor to be a part of a classic story like this, and I am very fortunate that I got the chance to narrate it. Theatre is a space where very few people last because it demands a great deal of passion and commitment, but a streaming platform like this can expand the reach of good stories and make the actors feel that their hard work is being visualised. Anthologies like Koi Baat Chale will also inspire people to explore literature with more interest.”
The message that this story of Manto conveys is that fighting over land and religion is futile. And so, as humans, he says, “We must learn to co-exist respectfully and not stoop to inhumanity and violence. We are just like one another and are here for a limited time, so why nitpick and find faults? Why not live and let live peacefully?”
Though his role in Hum Log had grey shades, which also evoked strong reactions from the audience, initially his performances in films and shows had earned him the label of ‘comedian’ or ‘comedy actor’. Did that, in a way, get frustrating for him as an actor? “As an actor, though, I love all kinds of roles, including comedy. Comedy is very difficult to do, and when you succeed in making people laugh, it really gives an actor joy like no other.”
Lately, he’s been a part of films like Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, Mili, Anek, and Mulk, which have in fact broken the mould of him being just a comedy actor. Well, it’s safe to say that he has just aced all of the projects that he’s been a part of, irrespective of the genre. But what, according to him, was the ‘breaking the ice’ project? Having had his fill of comic roles, Manoj Pahwa credits Anubhav Sinha for presenting him with opportunities to play villainous characters in cinema. In theatre, he says, “I had played diverse characters, and then Anubhav Sinha, with whom I had also worked in Tum Bin, gave me Mulk. This was a strong, serious, and emotional character, and the film was also a commercial and critical success. It turned out to be a major breakthrough for me as an actor.”
Going further in the conversation, he shares that he is a trained actor and can play any kind of role. However, he says, “In the industry, sometimes an image begins to define you, and you keep getting the same kind of roles. For survival, you take them on and start enjoying them too. But then you want to do more, and this is one of the reasons why I started exploring theatre again. And now, of course, the kinds of roles I am getting are more layered as well.”
As an actor, the Mili actor tries to give his best to the role that he plays, but according to him, the journey becomes the destination. The process becomes the source of all satisfaction. “Every day I give everything I have to my performances so that I can sleep with peace and satisfaction at night.”
Typecasting today is much like it was before. Actors and actresses still find themselves under a particular genre and critical scrutiny for either failing to fulfil their type or for failing to break away from it. Nevertheless, going against type, or when an actor or actress takes a role opposite to what they’re known for, is becoming common and fundamental to those who are already being typecast. “Casting professionals look for actors who fit the roles that have been written and ideated by the writer and the director. If an actor looks like a middle-class person, why will he be cast in the role of an aristocrat? It is easier to pick someone who looks the part. The same rule applies to comedy. If an actor is known to be proficient in comedy, similar parts will come to him,” shares the Mulk actor, who does believe that to an extent, even though he did feel that he was being typecast as a jolly character.
Ending the conversation on a brighter note, Manoj Pahwa, who on the work front will be seen in a web series on Netflix, highlights, “Any actor is eager to attempt roles he has never done before, and I am no exception.”
