Manoj Pahwa

Biography

Manoj Pahwa (born 8 December 1963), is an Indian film and television actor who is noted for his role as Bhatia in the comedy series Office Office (2001). He has acted in over 70 films as a character actor, including 7½ Phere (2005), Being Cyrus (2005), Singh Is Kinng (2008), Dabangg 2 (2012), Jolly LLB (2013), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), Mulk (2018) and Article 15 (2019).

Pahwa was raised in a Punjabi family in Delhi. His father migrated from Punjab, Pakistan, after Partition. He was educated at the National Public School in Daryaganj, New Delhi. In an interview, Pahwa stated that he lived in East Delhi Lakshmi Nagar after his father built the house for them.

His father had an automobile batteries business and his father wanted him to join the family business. Pahwa shifted to Mumbai in his late twenties.

He is married to actress Seema Bhargava, his co-actor in the TV series Hum Log, and lives in Versova, Mumbai, along with his daughter Manukriti Pahwa and son Mayank.

Pahwa started his career with television in the early days of television in India with a small but noticeable part in the superhit serial Hum Log, and later acting in many comedy series, getting considerable roles in Just Mohabbat (1996-2000) and Office Office (2001).

He made his movie debut with Tere Mere Sapne (1996) and has acted in 50+ films and TV series as a character actor, known for his comic timing and antics, although he never relies on the "fat joke" style of comedy.

He played the lead in the opening segment of the anthology horror film Darna Zaroori Hai (2006) directed by Sajid Khan.

During the shoot for Mausam (2011) directed by Pankaj Kapoor, in Chandigarh, he met the local producers, which led to his Punjabi film debut, Heer & Hero.