This actor, who used to act blind to beg on the streets of Delhi, auditioned for a film to enjoy free food.
The entertainment industry does change the lives of the people who work in it. We have often heard several rags-to-riches stories of actors. Whether it is Rajinikanth, who went from being a bus conductor to a superstar, to Jackie Shroff, who went on from living in slums to living in a bunglow, the lives of actors changed after getting fame and earning money.
Another actor, who became famous with just a 5-second role, used to beg on the streets. He gave the audition for the film just for free food, but later, with the money he earned from working in the film, he owned himself a livelihood. The actor we are talking about is none other than Manoj Roy, the beggar in PK.
Hailing from Bedeti in north-central Assam’s Sonitpur district, Manoj Roy is the son of a daily wager who lost his mother soon after birth, and later he dropped out of school to beg after his daily wager father fell too sick to work. He took a train to Delhi seeking a job, however, he fell back on what he was good at, acting blind, begging bowl in hand.
He said in an interview with Hindustan Times, “I was a regular at Jantar Mantar. A few months ago, two gentlemen approached me and asked if I could act. I told them acting is what I do to ensure two square meals. They gave me a phone number and a Rs 20 note before leaving."
Later, he was called for the auditions at Nehru Stadium and beat seven other beggars, all visually impaired to bag a role in Aamir Khan's PK. He said, "I went the very next day and found myself among members of a film unit. I was taken aside for an audition with seven other beggars, all visually impaired. I cared little about the film or the actors; it was the free food that mattered, for a week till my selection."
Manoj Roy got a 5-second role in Rajkumar Hirani's Aamir Khan-starrer PK wherein he played the role of a blind beggar. He had to stand and lean on a stick till Aamir Khan came and took away coins from his bowl. The movie also starred Anushka Sharma and Sushant Singh Rajput along with others in key roles and turned out to be a blockbuster, The film collected Rs 722 crore worldwide.
Manoj Roy revealed in the same interview that after he was featured in PK, his life changed. With the money he earned from the movie, Manoj bought a new shop in his village and said, "I returned to my village with the money earned from the film. I have a job in a village shop, a Facebook account, and a girlfriend too. People now call me PK Honey Singh. This is all because of the film."
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 "Beggar whose life changed after 5-second role in blockbuster film")
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