"Children's Day is meant for me!" - Manish Raisinhghani

Known to be a prankster on the sets, the mischievous Manish Raisinghani talks about how he and his co-actors on the sets of Sasural Simar Ka have a child within them which allows them to enjoy each day to the fullest!

Published: Thursday,Nov 14, 2013 16:18 PM GMT-07:00

Seema Matoo

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Playing the role of Siddhant Bharadwaj, Manish Raisinghani is well known to be a prankster on the sets of his show Sasural Simar Ka. The actor who plays safe pranks has a child-like quality to him which also attracts children on the sets to him.

Talking about the same Manish says, "I bond completely with the kids on my sets as well as the kids who come visiting the sets. They are themselves and I am myself and that is why I guess we enjoy each other's company. There is the small bubbly baby Anjali who is just 1 year old who misses me when I am not around. Wherever I am she will come to me and wait for me to play with her."

Apart from the child actors on the sets of the show, Manish is also a favourite with the kids who come visiting the sets, "We have my co-actors Janviji's daughter & Nishigandha Wad's daughter sometimes coming on the sets. Janviji's daughter has taken up photography and comes to take suggestions from me while preparing for her photography projects. We play volleyball and other games on the sets and they are very happy. We always have many kids around whenever we have our get-togethers."

While talking about kids how do we forget Avika Gor who started as a child actor and is a teenager today who portrays the role of Manish's wife Roli in the show. Says Manish, "Yes, Avika too is a kid. She is 16 year old now but behaves like an 8 year old kid. When I first met her I didn't know much about her but after working with her now I know her well. If you interact with her she talks to perfection and looks like a grown up too but in her head she is not 16 but like an 8 year old. Her parents have trained her well to deal with the camera so she gives perfect takes while in front of the camera but off the camera when she is not on guard she's a child in many ways with her mood swings and all."

Manish also talks about senior actor Jayati Bhatia who plays his grandmother in the show, "My co-actor, Jayati Bhatia too acts like a 3 year old kid. She has a competition with all the kids around and complains when other kids play with me. That is when she tries to grab my attention," laughs Manish as he remembers the moment.

There is a child in all of us and on Children's Day Manish accepts that his spirit is still childlike, "Children's Day is meant for me. I have a child in me which keeps my enthusiasm and curiosity levels high and my eagerness to learn new things is always there. I prefer to live my life like a child and I am comfortable with it. I may be a man outside but at home I am a baby and do lots of masti."

Being a prankster might be linked to his childhood days and talking about the same, Manish says, "As a child I was a bullied in school where seniors would dominate and bully me around till the time I decided to be a bully myself! However, I soon realized that bullying is not so good so I turned naughty which is why I am now known as a prankster."

Today he is all geared up to celebrate Children's Day on the sets, "I guess we all will celebrate Children's day together on the sets. All of us on the set have been blessed with a fantastic side to us wherein we have a kid within us. We all love to be playful and every day is a party on the set so I guess today too we all will celebrate Children's Day for the child within us."

That's the spirit Manish... hope you retain the child within you and enjoy Children's Day every day!

Seema Khot Mattoo