I am very different from Joydeep: Manav

'I'm a doctor by profession'

I studied homeopathic science when I went to medical college and I specialized in psychology as well. I don't know how I got into films. I wasn't even passionate about acting till I spent two or three years in the business. Then I was approached for Telegu films and I did three of them. I was also nominated for a best actor award. After that I started my Punjabi career where I did two films and then Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi came my way.


'I'm 0.1 percent Joydeep!'

I'm not even 1 percent similar to Joydeep - I would say I am 0.1 percent like him. He's a self-created character. I did a lot of the characterization myself like how he walks, how he thinks and how he reacts to a situation. He is not at all confident and can't say anything with conviction whereas I am very confident and I love speaking. My walk, the way I talk and my looks are totally different from the character. I don't have a champu look in real life! But I feel good because when I see Joydeep on screen I know that he is not me but something that I have created.

On Joydeep's makeover

We never planned it but we were getting a lot of requests and fan mail saying Joydeep should stand up to people and be more confident with Bhumi so we decided to go ahead and do it. I have a big fan following abroad and people who have seen me in films kept saying that I look good in them and I should get a makeover in Kyunki…

The new look totally depends on the creative team. I'll do whatever they tell me to do. I have no say in the way I look and I don't want to. The only thing I can do is whatever they tell me I will do it with conviction.

On the sets

Me and Pulkit are very good friends. I'm very fond of Amit Tandon. And I simply adore Rakshanda because she is very supportive.

On my days off…

I watch a lot of movies because I love good films. I also write my book when I get the time. I've been writing for 7 months and have only completed one chapter. It's a thriller and all the characters are real; people from my hometown. It will be a small book because I don't really want to write a long novel. Apart from this I also do power yoga. For me relaxing is work and the more I work the more relaxed I feel. I am an anxious person by nature and I keep thinking about the things I have to do so I have a lot on energy which I put into doing my work.


'I'm not looking for a relationship'

I definitely want a girl to come into my life at some point of time but right now I am not looking out for anything or anyone. I haven't got a 'type' to decide what kind of person I want. You can't decide like that. My only criterion is that she should be better looking than me so that we have great looking kids.