Born in 1972, Manish Wadhwa is an Indian actor and voice artist. He is most recognized for portraying Chanakya in Chandragupta Maurya, Kans in Paramavatar Shri Krishna, Amal Nanda/Dansh in Hero – Gayab Mode On, and Major General Hamid Iqbal in Gadar 2.
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Manish Wadhwa Biography
| Name | Manish Wadhwa |
| Nickname | Manish |
| Profession | Actor |
| Debut | Film- Rahul (2001)Television- Amrapali (2002) |
| Height | 5’10” or 1.78m or 178 cm |
| Weight | 75 kg or 163 lbs |
| Body Measurements | Chest- 40 inchesWaist- 33 inchesBiceps- 12 inches |
| Date of Birth | Chest- 40 inches waist- 33 inchesBiceps- 12 inches |
| Zodiac | Taurus |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, India |
| Residence | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| School | Shishu Niketan School, Ambala, Haryana |
| College/University | Prahladrai Dalmia Lions College, Mumbai |
| Educational Qualifications | Graduate |
| Father | Unknown |
| Sister | Geetu |
| Mother | Unknown |
| Wife | Priyanka Wadhwa |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair color | Black |
| Net Worth | ₹4 crore (approx.) |
| Hobbies | Reading, Traveling |
Early life and background
Born on 23 April 1972, Manish grew up in Haryana and shifted to Mumbai with his family in 1983. He pursued B.Com. at Prahladrai Dalmia Lions College in Mumbai. He wanted to be an actor since childhood and started performing in theatre in his college days. In 1992, he played in an Inter-Collegiate Drama Competition held by IPTA which is also known as the Indian People’s Theatre Association.
Personal life
Manish Wadhwa is married to Priyanka Wadhwa and has two children named Vanshika Wadhwa and Ashrit Wadhwa who is a film director.
Personal favorites
| Actor | Shah Rukh Khan |
| Actress | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan |
| Food | Rajma Chawal |
| Destination | Australia |
| Color | Blue |
Career
Manish Wadhwa initiated his acting journey in 1999 as a theatre artist in commercial theatre. He took on lead roles alongside Jaya Bachchan in plays like ‘Maa Retire Hoti Hai’ and ‘Dr. Mukta.’ He also engaged in a comedic play named ‘Hum Le Gaye Tum Reh Gaye’ with Javed Jaffrey.
His entrance into the film industry occurred through the movie ‘Rahul’ (2001), where he portrayed the character Rohit Singh. In 2004, he assumed the role of Captain Inayat Gyani in ‘Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero.’ In the historical drama ‘Padmaavat’ (2018), he embodied Gandharv Sen. His portrayal of Major General Hamid Iqbal in ‘Gadar 2‘ (2023) earned him considerable acclaim from audiences.
He graced numerous films, including ‘Shabri’ (2011), ‘Baa Baaa Black Sheep’ (2018), ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’ (2019), and ‘Pathaan’ (2023). His role as Major General Hamid Iqbal in the period action drama ‘Gadar 2’ (2023) brought him significant recognition and praise in the cinematic realm.
In the Telugu film arena, Manish Wadhwa marked his debut with ‘Shyam Singha Roy’ (2021), where he played the role of Mahadev Mahant.
His television career commenced with ‘Amrapali’ (2002), where he portrayed Ajatshatru. In 2005, he embraced the negative role of Kali in the mystery series ‘Kohinoor’ on Sahara One.
In 2006, he undertook the dual roles of Vikram Bhargav and Vineet Bhargav in the show ‘Mano Ya Na Mano’ on Star One. He assumed the character of Nirbhay Choudhary in the TV series ‘Mitwa – Phool Kamal Ke’ (2009) on StarPlus. The pivotal role of Chanakya in the historical drama ‘Chandragupta Maurya’ (2011) proved to be his breakthrough.
He later took on the role of Ravan in the TV series ‘Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev’ on Life OK, but was subsequently replaced by Tarun Khanna.
In 2020, Wadhwa reprised the character of Ravan in the TV series ‘Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram’ on &TV. He made appearances in various television shows, including ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? Ek Baar Phir’ (2013) on StarPlus, ‘Mahakumbh- Ek Rahasaya, Ek Kahani’ (2014) on Life OK, ‘Siya Ke Ram’ (2015) on StarPlus, ‘Paramavatar Shri Krishna’ (2017) on &TV, and ‘Hero – Gayab Mode On’ (2020) on Sony SAB.
Film
- Aamrapali as Ajatashatru
- Mitwa Phool Kamal Ke as Nirbhay Choudhary
- Kohinoor as Kaali
- Chandragupta Maurya as Chanakya
- Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev as Ravan
- Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? Ek Baar Phir as Niranjan Agnihotri
- Maha Kumbh: Ek Rahasaya, Ek Kahani as Shivanand
- Time Machine as Kartik Devraj
- Siya Ke Ram as Vishwamitra
- Naagarjuna – Ek Yoddha as Vasuki
- Crime Patrol – Crime Patrol In Chambal as Dacoit Leader (Season 3 – Episode 1)
- Peshwa Bajirao as Balaji Vishwanath Bhat
- Paramavatar Shri Krishna as Maharaj Kans
- Kahat Hanuman Jai Shri Ram as Ravana
- Hero – Gayab Mode On as Amal Nanda (Veer’s father)/Dansh
Lesser known Facts
- During his college years, he participated in a comedy show called ‘Khatta Meetha.’
- In an interview, he disclosed that following his portrayal of Chanakya in the TV show ‘Chandragupta Maurya,’ he has been offered roles that require him to shave his head. He shared during the interview:
“I went bald 11 years ago and people have not let me grow my hair ever since! I have been offered characters that require me to retain the look. I remember precisely the date when I went bald. It was on December 22, 2010, for the character of Chanakya in Chandragupta Maurya.”
- He has a fondness for singing ghazals and romantic songs. In another interview, he expressed his passion for traveling, stating:
“I love to travel with my wife and kids whenever I have some leisure time.”
