Actor-filmmaker Manish Raisinghani, who is known for his performance in shows like Kaahin Kissii Roz, Kahiin to Hoga, Kkehna Hai Kuch Mujhko, Teen Bahuraniyaan, Sasural Simar Ka, and Ek Shringaar-Swabhiman, feels when success arrives before you are ready for it or the spotlight grows brighter than your mind can bear, it’s easy to settle into the comfort of recognition. But he believes that every spotlight becomes a starting point and not a destination.
Manish Raisinghani talks about his Sasural Simar Ka days
He said, “When your character is a superstar, one can easily slip into the comfort of that spotlight. But while Sameer Gheewala in Teen Bahuraniyaan and Siddhant in Sasural Simar Ka were living their stardom, Manish was busy flirting with life and also was quietly building another dream in the world of Indie-filmmaking. After 13-hour shoots, I’d stop being Siddhant and go back to being a student of cinema, in front of and behind the camera. Avika (Gor) and I would shoot short films before and after work; while the characters were shining on screen, we were hustling in the shadows.”
“Somewhere along the way, those little experiments turned into us being on a hat-trick opportunity to Cannes and even a film brushing past the Oscars nomination. So while one world saw the stars, another world was watching the storytellers grow. We didn’t sit in the comfort of that spotlight; we quietly built another stage. We chose to build another sun. So I totally believe in enjoying the spotlight, but never forget to create your own sunrise,” he added.
For him, neither staying true to the character nor adapting to constant script changes is challenging. He explained staying true is the foundation; adapting is the skill. He said, “Scripts change, scenes evolve, but the emotional core of the character should remain intact. That’s your anchor point. Storytelling is a collective process, so improvisation to suit the character and the script changes is a part of the process. Scripts may flip; I just have to ensure my character doesn’t lose the plot.”
Sharing his thoughts on the evolving nature of content and different platforms, he said, “Today you have everything—films, OTT, TV, micro dramas, each with its own swag, speed, and screen size.” Emotions are the same, but platters are different to suit the context of how the content is going to be consumed.”
On transitioning in TV, OTT and Micro-dramas
“Let’s be honest, as an audience, we’re all here for the same thing: that emotional kick, that dopamine hit. What’s really changed is how we consume it. Some stories are on an absolute Dhurandhar scale, which need a theater full of whistles and seetis… and some need headphones, a blanket, and a little guilty pleasure. So it’s all about context,” he added.
He mentioned that a show stays relevant when it knows not just its audience but their mood, their moment, and their medium. He said, “That`s exactly why content is made, keeping in mind the grammar of how it`s going to be consumed. Because the same scene can feel epic on a big screen and is absolutely distracting when you have only one earphone while doing another activity, watching it alongside your main job.”
“So I don’t think shows need to fight for attention or find their relevance years later; if the soul of the show is in the right place, it will find its audience when the context is right. A show like Friends is still my best friend when I want someone to make me laugh. It’s about making sure your story fits so perfectly in its space that it becomes unskippable. Audiences evolve, but the core emotions are the same. Screens may shrink or expand, but if the emotion hits right, the skip button also respectfully steps aside,” Manish ended.
