'Karan Johar and I hit off instantly'

Known for his affability and ready wit, Manish Paul, a much-sought-after TV host is filmmaker Karan Johar’s favourite.

From hosting Dance India Dance to Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, how has the journey been?
It’s been great. Dance India Dance with kids was fun,  but Jhalak... brought out a new angle in me. There has been tremendous feedback from some of the top stars like Rani Mukerji, Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. When Ranbir had come on the show we had a lot of masti and people said the two of us should act in a film together. Priyanka said I am the life of the show, while Rani declared that I am the best anchor on TV. I think they like the fact that I can sing impromptu and break into a rap (laughs). Also, the fact that I improvise gets me a connect with the audience. I have some great memories from the show.

You seem to have a great rapport with filmmaker Karan Johar...
Yes. I see he has a fondness for humour and dedication and I work very hard. That’s what he likes about me. When I met him on the show, I had a different image of him. I thought being a big filmmaker he may look down on TV people. But he proved me completely wrong. We hit it off instantly.

Should we expect you in his next film?
Well, I plan to work with him, but I don’t know whether he wants to work with me! Student of the Year, in which he has cast newcomers, is an encouraging sign, maybe he will think of me (laughs).

You were avidly flirting with actor Madhuri Dixit?
I am really fond of Madhuri, so I started flirting with her. Now that I am hosting India’s Got Talent, I am flirting with Kirron Kher. It must be something to do with my being a Punjabi. We are known for that!

You are also doing a film, right?
Yes, I am doing a film called Oye Micky, a comedy thriller about a Punjabi guy and how his life transforms. It is being directed by a newcomer Saurabh Verma. This film has given me a chance to portray a lot more emotions on screen than I have in the past. Comedy is my forte and so I didn’t want to completely go away from it.

Wouldn’t it have been better to make your debut with an established director?
Things are changing now. Lot of newcomers are making films and are being accepted by the audience. The script is the most important thing and I loved the story of Oye Micky. Also, I identified with the role.

After doing some serials like Pyaar Mein Twist and Ghost Bana Dost, you haven’t done any fiction...
I want to try and reserve fiction for the big screen. On TV I am happy doing non-fiction. I cannot devote 30 days to a serial. Shooting for a reality show is much easier.