Manish Goel reveals his film's producer referred to him as sasta Rajkummar Rao: 'I'm okay..'

Manish Goel, last seen in Star Plus' Anupamaa, recently got in an exclusive chat with India Forums and spoke about shooting for a biopic on gangster Vikas Dubey post the COVID 19 pandemic. Speaking to us, the actor revealed how difficult it has been for him and the team of the film to find a platform for release.

Manish revealed he had to put on 10-11kg weight for his character in the film and also opened up on developing a habit of eating Rajnigandha (chewable tobacco) for the role. He said, ''It's a biopic, based on a gangster from UP. We studied him in depth. He’s no more. I think it’s safe to say now, it’s based on Vikas Dubey.'' Manish also reveals chewing Rajnigandha to get in the skin of his character and said, ''He used to chew Rajnigandha, from what we found out. So for two and a half years, I ate Rajnigandha. That’s how I maintained the weight gain. Because of that, I didn’t do any television for those two and a half years. My face wasn’t the same.''

Further, the actor revealed that the film has currently been under post production and that, even after trying, the producers have not been able to find a platform for the film. Opening up about Netflix rejecting the film, the actor said, ''So now all that’s done. The film has been shot and it has come out really well. It’s in post-production now because when 6–8 months go by and the film doesn’t get picked up by a platform at the right time, the team has to revive it. So they’re doing things like colour grading, editing, my producer is working on all that.''

''The saddest part is - we literally poured our blood and soul into this film. And I’m not exaggerating. I put on all that weight, gave it my all, and during a very difficult time like COVID, the whole unit of 150 people gave it their best. The producer invested money even when there was no hope of returns, because nothing was working. The director worked hard, the whole team did and then the first mail we got was from Netflix. I’ll say it openly — it was from Netflix. They told our producer, “Why did you cast a television actor in the lead role?” and my producer was speechless. He said, “At least watch the trailer.” They hadn’t even seen the trailer. They didn’t see it. This sort of thing happened with us with two or three platforms,'' the actor further reveals.

Manish then states that his producer referred to him as 'sasta Rajkummar Rao.' He said, ''And literally, my producer told the CEO of one of these OTT platforms, “I’m giving you someone who’s like a sasta Rajkummar Rao.” And I’m okay with that. I actually said, “Sir, you took Rajkummar Rao’s name, that itself is a huge compliment to me. But why say ‘sasta’?' And he said, “Because your fee right now will be much lower than his.” Rajkummar has reached a certain fee bracket. I’m starting in films, so naturally, I’ll begin with a modest fee, and from there, let’s see how the career shapes up.''

''All we’ve requested , and I personally have folded my hands and asked people is just watch our film once. Just give it a viewing. But no one did. So right now, the film still doesn’t have a platform. It’s in post-production, and the last four days of work are remaining,'' Manish then concludes.

And literally, my producer told the CEO of one of these OTT platforms, “I’m giving you someone who’s like a sasta Rajkummar Rao.” And I’m okay with that. I actually said, “Sir, you took Rajkummar Rao’s name, that itself is a huge compliment to me. But why say ‘sasta’?'

- Manish Goel

Manish Goel’s emotional account sheds light on the harsh realities many actors face when transitioning from television to cinema, particularly in a space dominated by star-driven content and industry biases. Despite the passion, physical transformation, and unwavering commitment he poured into the role, the film remains in limbo—an unfortunate reminder of how merit can often be overshadowed by perception. As the project nears the end of its post-production phase, Manish remains hopeful that a platform will eventually recognize the team’s effort and give the film the release it deserves. For now, he continues to stand by his work, urging the industry and audiences alike to simply give it a chance.