Manjot Singh recalls being jobless, ‘sitting at home’ for two years after Fukrey: ‘It’s not easy’

Actor Manjot Singh has said that after the release of his breakout film Fukrey, he was out of work for two years. Manjot is known for playing Lali in the 2013 film and its 2017 sequel, Fukrey Returns. He has also appeared in Dibakar Banerjee’s Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

In an interview ahead of the release of Chutzpah, his new streaming series on SonyLIV, Manjot Singh said that he wasn’t satisfied with the sort of roles he was being offered in the aftermath of Fukrey.

He told Times Now, “When I started (my career), I was 16, that time I got a lot of films. After Fukrey, I think ek time aaya tha ke mere paas do saal tak kaam nahi tha (there was time when I did not get work for two years).”

He continued, “So, the offers that were coming I didn’t wish to do and things I wanted to do, weren’t coming my way. I was not satisfied with the offers I was getting. So that was a phase where I felt easy nahi hai (it’s not easy). Sitting at home, I was studying and at the same time I was getting films. I was earning good money too, (I thought) life is amazing. But reality check tab pata chalta (you get a reality check) when you have to wait for the right thing.”

Also read: I was rejected for being a sardar: Manjot Singh

In a 2019 interview with Hindustan Times, Manjot said that he was told it would be difficult for him to find roles because of his religion. He recalled approaching a casting agency to manage him, and said, “So, they took my portfolio. After a few days, they reverted saying that ‘since you are a sardar, it is quite difficult for us to search a role for you’. I was shocked. If you check my 10-year-long career, 90% of them are hit films…”