Manish Goel recalls how a school play as Lord Ram sparked his acting dream

Mumbai: Actor Manish Goel, who was last seen in 'Anupamaa', 'Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii', 'Ghar Ek Mandir', 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay', 'Bhabhi', 'Devi', has shared that his journey in acting began when he was in school.

"My journey into acting began in school. It was an inter-school competition where I played Ram in the Bharat Milap scene. I was probably cast because I was very lean and small. It was a 5-10 minute scene,” Manish said in a statement.

He added: “On the day of the play I had high fever and my costume was a dhoti and just flowers on top, but I still performed. My mother took me. I got a participation memento. I was 8-9 years old. The instant clapping and appreciation on stage overwhelmed me, and I told my mom then that I wanted to become an actor. After that, for any skit, dance or play in school, I had to be there."

Manish credited his school for nurturing the dream.

"I would like to thank my school, Father Agnel School, which also has a branch in Bandra, Bombay, and my teacher Bharti Malhotra who encouraged me. I was more on stage than in the classroom," he said.

Talking about his early influences, the actor said his father's salon business exposed him to film magazines and his Friday movie ritual sealed his passion.

"My father had a salon business. At the shop, I used to see entertainment magazines. In one of them I saw an ad for Asha Chandra Acting Classes. Every Friday my father took us to watch cinema. After watching a film, I would come home and perform the same scenes in my room or bathroom, at times wearing costumes," he said.

After his 12th boards from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Manish made his first trip to Mumbai.

"After my 12th boards, I first came to Bombay with my friend Atul Gupta's father who had work in Borivali - you can say I ran away to see my dream city. In 1992-93, I joined Asha Chandra classes, but left in 2-3 days feeling acting can't be taught," he said.

His first break behind the camera came through producer-director Anand Mahendroo.

"Through a salon customer, I met Anand Mahendroo who was making 'Dekh Bhai Dekh'. He gave me a job as an assistant which we usually refer as spot dada. The editing office at Ajanta Hotel, Juhu became my home. The set was at R.K. Studio with Shekhar Suman, Farida Dadi, Urvashi Dholakia and Amar Upadhyay.”

“I worked for 3-4 months calling artists, serving food and handling costumes in a hope of an opportunity. But nothing happened and as I wasn't here for doing all that hence I returned to Delhi and joined interior decoration in South Extension, but bunked to go to the gym and dance classes," Manish shared.

The turning point came with a magazine shoot.

"One day at the shop, I saw an ad - 'You can be the next Star face' with Amar Upadhyay's photo. I took Rs. 500 from my father's counter, got my portfolio shot, and applied, getting my grandfather to sign the form. I cleared rounds in Delhi," he said.

He added, "Around July-September 1995, I came to Bombay for the final at Holiday Inn, now Novotel. I won first place out of 28,000 applicants. Thirty-four were shortlisted from India and abroad. Priya Gill and Vinay Jain were fellow winners. My training was sponsored. In 1996, I came out of the Stardust Academy and my real struggle started. That one school play changed my life - I still have that picture."

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