HAVING THE LAST LAUGH

MANIESH PAUL NEVER LEAVES HOME WITHOUT HIS SMILE. HE ASKS SUMAN SHARMA TO FOLLOW THIS LIFE-CHANGING DIKTAT

- SUMAN SHARMA

Ask Maniesh Paul the secret of his eversmiling 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 Neetu