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Manoj Pahwa is a popular Indian television and film actor. He is famous for playing the role of ‘Bhatia’ in the popular Indian television sitcom ‘Office Office’ (2001).
Wiki/Biography
Manoj was born on Sunday, 8 December 1963 (age 59 years; as of 2022) in Delhi. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius. He did his schooling at National Public School, New Delhi.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Weight (approx.): 95 Kg
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
Family & Caste
He was born in a Punjabi family that migrated to Punjab in India after the Partition of India.
Parents & Siblings
His father was a garage owner in Delhi. Manoj’s father was from Pakistan, while his mother was from Uttar Pradesh. Manoj has two sisters, Sunita Gupta and Rekha Pathak, and one younger brother. He is the eldest among his siblings. In an interview, Manoj said,
My mother is from Uttar Pradesh while my father’s roots are in Pakistan. I have stayed in Punjab for a long time since we had relatives in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and in Ambala Cantt in Haryana. After my father expired, I had to look after our business of automotive parts since I am the eldest child. But, after I had married off my two younger sisters, I handed over the business to my younger brother and moved to Mumbai in 1994 along with my wife, two children and my mother.”
An Old Picture of Manoj Pahwa With His Father and Sisters
Manoj Pahwa With His Sisters
Relationship, Wife & Children
Manoj met actress Seema Bhargava while they were working as a theatre artist for the theatre group ‘Sambhav Group.’ Soon, they became friends and fell in love with each other. On 23 January 1988, the couple got married. They are blessed with a daughter, Manukriti, and a son Mayank, and both their children are working as actors. There were rumours in 2017 that his son got engaged to Shahid Kapoor’s sister, Sanah Kapur.
An Old Picture of Manoj Pahwa With His Daughter
Manoj Pahwa With His Wife and Daughter
Seema Pahwa With Manoj Pahwa
Seema Pahwa With Her Family
Career
Manoj Pahwa started his career as a theatre actor. He used to play the role of ‘Lakshman’ in the Ramleela held in his locality. He has also worked as a theatre artist in many projects of ‘Mandi House,’ ‘Sambhav Group,’ ‘All India Radio,’ and ‘Doordarshan.’
Seema Pahwa With Manoj Pahwa in a Theatre Play
An Old Picture of Manoj Pahwa
After becoming the father of two children, he moved to Mumbai, from Delhi with his family to pursue his career in acting. In 1984, he debuted as an actor in the popular Hindi TV serial ‘Hum Log’ along with his wife, Seema Pahwa. Some of his popular Hindi TV serials are ‘Shanti’ (1995), ‘Just Mohabbat’ (1996), ‘Sab Golmaal Hai’ (1997), ‘Gudgudee’ (1998), ‘Office Office’ (2001), and ‘A Suitable Boy’ (2020).
His debut Hindi film as an actor is ‘Tere Mere Sapne’ (1996). He has played both comic and negative characters, and some of his popular Hindi films are ‘Dhamaal’ (2007), ‘Singh is King’ (2008), ‘Ready’ (2011), ‘Mausam’ (2011), ‘Dabangg 2’ (2012), ‘Jolly LLB’ (2013), ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ (2015), ‘Mulk’ (2018), and ‘Article 15’ (2019).
While he was shooting for the Bollywood film ‘Mausam’ (2011) in Chandigarh, he met Punjabi film producers who cast him for the Punjabi film ‘Heer & Hero’ (2013). He has also acted in the films of regional languages like ‘Engeyum Kadhal’ (2011, Tamil), and ‘Disco Singh’ (2014, Punjabi). In 2006, he appeared in the horror film ‘Darna Zaroori Hai.’
Address
61, Sai Shakti, Yari Road, Versova, Andheri, Mumbai
Facts/Trivia
- Initially his parents were not happy with his decision of making his career as an actor, in an interview, he said,
I started doing Ramleela and theatre. One day when I told my father that I wanted to join this field, I was heavily scolded. His dialogues still echoes: ‘Ghar ke dhandha chor kar bhaandgiri karange’. But acting was destined and here I am. But my advice to people interested in this field is to first attain qualification and then jump into it.”
- Later, Manoj had to manage his family’s garage business for a few years after his father’s demise.
- He used to get Rs. 8,000 per day for a shoot in the late 1990s.
- He has featured in more than 200 TV commercials. When he appeared in the ‘8 PM whiskey commercial’ in which he played the role of a Pakistani army officer, it attracted the attention of the famous Indian actor Kamal Haasan to Pahwa’s acting skills who offered Pahwa a role in his film ‘Hey Ram’ (2000).
- In an interview, he talked about his love for theatres, he said,
Theatre is the gym for actors. For a performer, theatre is the medium that gives an opportunity to work on your skill, your imagination, physical and mental strength as an actor. You upgrade yourself in theatre to stay relevant.”
- He talked about being typecast in films and TV serials, in an interview, he said,
Look, I am a realist. I know if I am in a city like Mumbai, I have to run my kitchen. I have a family. Either I should stop acting in comedy roles in films and wait for my life to one great opportunity, or I nurture the artiste in me on stage where I experiment a lot. I don’t complain, I try to find a way to enjoy my craft. The theatre is there for that. Having said that we are in a good time now as people are making a different kind of films. Characterisation is changing, so actors like us (me) are getting the opportunity to do experimental work.”