Kamal Ghorui
Shah Rukh Khan‘s son Aryan Khan made his directorial debut with ‘The Ba***ds Of Bollywood’ and the show got rave reviews from the internet. It starred Lakshya Lalwani in the lead with cameos from many big celebs, right from Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor to SRK himself, but Raghav Juyal, Manoj Pahwa completely stole the show with their impeccable comic timing. Pahwa’s ‘ghanta ka Badshah’ dialogue for Shah Rukh remained one of the major highlights of the show. However, did you know that the actor had earlier rejected the offer to be a part of the show. Manoj’s association with the project was anything but straightforward, as he initially declined the offer, famously responding with, “Hoga bada apne ghar mein…” when first approached by Aryan. Looking back at their first conversation, Manoj said in an interview with Mashable India, “Aryan made me do things I have never done before. I didn’t give any audition for that role. He simply called me and told me he wanted me to do it. I had refused him at first.”
He went on to explain his reservations, adding, “I had asked for the script, but my manager told me that they weren’t giving the show’s script to anybody. That put me off. I am from Delhi, so I was like, ‘I won’t do it either. Hoga apne ghar ka, hum bhi kam nahi hai.’ I had done a few films with Shah Rukh, but we didn’t share any major personal bond.”Manoj revealed that the situation shifted soon after. “After a week, my manager called me and said they had sent four different scripts. I read them and really liked the material. When I finally met the team, they told me, ‘Please don’t tell anyone we gave you the script because we haven’t shared it with any other actors. We sent it to you only because you had refused the role,’” he shared.Once on board, Manoj said Aryan constantly challenged him as an actor. “After he finally convinced me, he made me do things that are still getting strong reactions from the audience,” he said.Recalling a lighter moment from the sets, Manoj added, “Sometimes I used to object, but he would say, ‘Achha lagega, sir!’ He made me abuse so much, I wasn’t comfortable with it. Aryan told me, ‘Sir, aapke mooh se gaali achhi lagti hai.’ As an actor, I can only suggest things. The final verdict is always the director’s.”Despite his early reluctance, Manoj admitted he was pleased with how the series shaped up. “I am very happy with the way he made the show. It turned out great and became extremely popular. They paid us fully and treated us with a lot of respect,” he said.He also fondly recalled Shah Rukh Khan’s presence on set, as the superstar frequently dropped by to encourage his son. “Shah Rukh sir was extremely kind on set. He would often say, ‘Come to Mannat, daaru peete hai (let’s have alcohol),’” Manoj laughed.
