Manish Paul defines versatility with his debut Mickey Virus!

Talented and Witty actor Manish Paul is all geared up to make a mark on the big screen.Yes, you have heard it right, Manish Paul who has entertained the audience with his comic skills, is all set to be known as the hacker Mickey in his upcoming movie Mickey Virus which is slated to hit the floors in the month of October. The movie has been directed by debutant Saurabh Varma. 

To be honest, I have always thought of a movie like 'Mickey Virus' to be my dream debut. A lot of people relate me with just comedy but in this movie the audience will get to see the other side of Manish Paul. Every actor likes to work in his comfort zone, like for me, comedy is my forte. However, if I have to prove myself as a performer, this movie has given me a perfect opportunity to explore and prove my acting skills.

Tell us something about your debut film Mickey Virus.

Mickey Virus is a comic thriller about a case revolving around hackers & hacking. Set in Delhi, the story is about a street smart Punjabi guy Mickey Arora, who is a very lazy chap and doesn't wish to work at all. He runs a grocery store in day time and creates viruses for antivirus companies in the night. Though lazy, but Mickey is undoubtedly the best in the hacking business and that is the reason the cops hire him to solve a case. Eventually, he gets caught in a love web and a conspiracy and how he gets out of the trap, is the movie all about.

Where is the entire movie shot?

The movie is majorly shot in Delhi. However, couple of scenes and some last moment patchwork has been shot in Bombay.

The trailer of the movie flashes some really steamy bold scenes. How comfortable were you doing it?

Yes, I have a damn good romantic scenes in the movie. It is a very passionate love making scene opposite my co-star Elli Evram. It's actually a part of a song and that is how people express love. So I hope the audience will enjoy it.  (Laughs) And frankly speaking, I was very comfortable doing it. In fact, I was very excited because it was the first time I was supposed to take my T-shirt off.  

Did you also sing a song for Mickey Virus?

I haven't sung a song but I have done a piece of rap in one of the songs. In fact, I was insisted a lot to lend my voice for a song but I think it's a singer's job and I cannot do complete justice to it. I usually sing just for fun sake, otherwise I'm not trained at a professional level.

It was not easy at all.  I have really worked hard for it. When I joined the film, I was 84kgs and when I had to go shirtless I was 70kgs. The makers made me lose 14 kgs to get such an eye-grabbing physique. In order to get hold of this six-pack abs, I had to strictly follow a tough workout regime and a diet plan for months. But at the end the results have been really satisfying.

The movie is also filled with some action sequences and there were news that you got badly injured while shooting for the film. What had happened?

There was an action scene where a person was supposed to hit me with a tube light on the belly. While I had tied a padded stomach, he hit me on my chest and the tube light broke. I got some cuts on the chest and the biceps. It hurt me very badly but I did not make a hue and cry of it. I was taken to the hospital but everything is fine now. Even now while shooting for the patchwork, I have got bruises all around my arms and legs.

After setting a benchmark in the industry as a flawless anchor, don't you think you could have been launched with a bigger banner, comparatively?

I don't work with so much of calculations. Firstly, I don't belong to a filmy background. I'm a simple guy from Delhi who came to Bombay with an aim to become an actor, but it seems that destiny had its own plans and I ended up being on small screen. I never thought I would get so much love on television. I just believe in giving my best, irrespective of the banner and the cast. Moreover, it would be an achievement for me if big banners also approach me after having seen my acting talent.

Now-a-days, just when a movie is to release, the entire cast of the movie goes on a promotion spree. What efforts are you taking to promote your movie?

Currently, I am getting myself skilled at dancing. And you can find me at any corner of the road wearing a Mickey Virus T-shirt and shaking a leg on the tunes of the songs of Mickey Virus. In addition to this, a lot more preparations have been done and right now I'm in full gear to promote my debut movie. I'm sure the audience will have a heavenly laughter ride watching this movie.

What is the one thing people ought to know about Mickey Virus?

It's not just a comedy-packed movie. Mickey Virus will keep you at the edge of your seats because it's a comic thriller with loads of surprising twists in the tale. Also, this is the first time I'm going shirtless. (Laughs)

Which trait of Mickey Arora would you want to imbibe in your real life?

The way Mickey does hacking very passionately; I want to work with the same degree of passion.

Of late, I've been getting plenty of funny calls from some girls. They call at any odd time in the night and sing romantic songs for me. So I think now a lot of virus has begun entering my phone.

Whom do you admire the most in Bollywood?

Shah Rukh Khan! I have done a lot of shows with him. The amount of passion and energy he pours into his profession and the endless dedication he puts into his work is the most important thing I need to learn from him.

Any dream role on your wish list?

Amitabh Bachchan's role in Deewar. What an amazing role it was! I know it will be a task for me to persuade the audience that even I can play a serious kind of a character.

So now that you have stepped into Bollywood, will television be your priority?

Absolutely! I am very much open to television. It's just that I have moved a step further but television will never take a back seat. I have always indulged myself in non-fiction shows and I'll always be glad to continue the same. However, I think Anil Sir's (Anil Kapoor) forthcoming television series 24 will be a game changer. A lot of Bollywood celebs will now be drawn to television soaps, respectively. Even though I refrain myself from being a part of fiction shows, if I get any such offers in the future, I'll definitely accept it without any hesitance.

A message to your fans.

All I can say right now is, I am really thankful to all of you who have helped me reach where I am today. Please do watch Mickey Virus. It's going to be a completely a paisa-vasool movie. Just as everyone supported and loved me as a host, I hope I'll receive a similar response as an actor.

So will the movie live up to the expectations of the audience? Wait and watch for the movie Mickey Virus.

Monica Varma