EXCLUSIVE: Manjot Singh says, “I got to play an alpha male in Wild Wild Punjab, like Ranbir Kapoor in Animal”

Manjot Singh celebrated his 32nd birthday on July 7, just three days before the release of his film Wild Wild Punjab on Netflix. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, he said that the response for the film and his character Honey Singh is nothing short of a birthday gift for him. “It is the biggest birthday gift for me,” he said. “My family, friends, relatives and people I know from the industry also believe this. They said that it’s a gift for them as well because my role has been such that they are shocked; they haven’t seen me like this before. Like a surprise party, a surprise element has come out of this film.”Manjot spoke the harsh truth of the film industry where actors get stereotyped in one particular role and the same has happened with him. “After doing quite a few films, you are always eager to do something different. But for every actor, a perception gets built in the industry. If he does one particular role well, he keeps getting the same type of characters. But nobody is willing to take a risk. A lot of money is involved. The same goes for the directors. If a director makes a good comedy film, he only keeps getting comedy films. He won’t get to do a serious drama,” he said.But when Luv Ranjan, the producer of the film, narrated the film, Manjot was pleasantly surprised and delighted. “When he narrated the script to me, my chest got broader after listening to it. I felt yeh role mere haath se jana hi nahin chahiye. It was a different role, and I knew I would be able to do it,” he said.Manjot believes that his character in Wild Wild Punjab is revolutionary for sardar actors. “It is the first time that a sardar has been shown as an alpha. Normally, sardars are shown in funny roles. Or he will be shown as innocent, cute or dumb. But there has been a shift now. People have also been saying that a new Manjot has been born like Manjot 2.0. Just like how in Animal there was an alpha Ranbir Kapoor, in Wild Wild Punjab there is an alpha Manjot Singh,” he said.Directed by Simarpreet Singh, Wild Wild Punjab is about a group of characters compelled to go on a crazy ride in Punjab. It also stars Varun Sharma, Sunny Singh, Jassie Gill, Patralekhaa and Ishita Raj Sharma.Contrary to popular belief, Manjot said, “Comedy is not my forte. I do such films happily because I have to run the house, as I am a brand and known. But I have never enjoyed comedy so fully before (like in Wild Wild Punjab). In my 15-year-old career, I have worked hard the most in this film. You get such chances just once in your life. You won’t get a role with such a shift repeatedly.”Elaborating further, the actor said, “If Wild Wild Punjab had been my first film and I would have played the same character, people would have accepted that a new guy has done a good job. So, the biggest challenge for me was to break the image of the funny and cute sardar, create a new character and then receive acceptance for that character. But now I am satisfied with the love people have showered on me for this role.”Sharing about the feedback, Manjot said, “I get 25-30 messages daily. People are amazed that this guy can do this.” But the one feedback that mattered the most for him was from his parents. “People from the outside can give fake praises. But my mom and dad are wondering how come I carried off such a role. In my earlier films like Fukrey and Dream Girl, they used to say that my work and the film were good. But for this film, my mom started crying and said that she didn’t know I had such a role in the film because they couldn’t quite make that out from the trailer. She said I have made her heart and soul happy and that I should do more of such roles,” he said.Wild Wild Punjab saw Manjot reuniting with his Fukrey franchise co-star Varun Sharma. “He is like the best friend who is among the people you go on a trip with,” he said. “You know that if not anyone else, he is with you. You know that if you don’t have time, there is no need to do workshops with him because you know the camaraderie, chemistry and bond you share with him. You know the things that annoy him and what he likes. We have known each other for so many years now. We shoot the film while doing hasi-mazaak. And both of us love food!”Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Patralekhaa talks about Wild Wild Punjab; reveals how Luv Ranjan stood by her during her father’s demise: “Without blinking an eyelid, he booked a private charter for us. I’ll love him till my last breath; give my blood to him”