In the jungle with Manish Naggdev

Click on the pic to view slideshow Keeping the spirit of Tellychakkar.com’s new column “Eating Out With Stars” alive, this week I decided to take out an ex-Chemburite (my ilaka) and popular television actor Manish Naggdev for dinner. Presently residing in Malad, Manish was quite familiar with Rainforest Resto-bar off Veera Desai Road in Andheri (Mumbai). As I waited for him, I decided to polish off starters Crispy Fried Veg and soft Paneer Malai Seekh while enjoying Pinacolada. Manish soon appeared in a pair of jeans and a short shirt in white. My first impression of him was that he is a lean boy but has a youthful appeal which makes you overlook his lack of machismo. Manish joined me at the table and I noticed a flutter as families dining nearby whispered something and looked at our side. Soon we had young girls asking permission to click pictures with Manish. And when the actor settled down, the captain of our table suggested an exotic mocktail called Jungle Fever that is served in a scooped-out pineapple with cherries for garnish. In-between sips the actor admired the jungle-like décor of the place. While our cameramen went clickety-click, Manish took out his Blackberry and captured himself sipping the drink, on his handset. Now that Madhubala (Drashti Dhami) is getting married to superstar RK (Vivian Dsena), is her lover Mukun played by Manish in the Colors’ show Madhubala Ek Ishq Ek Junoon likely to get relegated to the background, I asked, only to be encountered with a sly smile that made me wonder if he would reappear with negative shades. He is a health freak and gymming is a priority with him. Query him on his fave Bollywood star and pat comes the reply, “Salman Khan!” and yes, he aspires to do films and wishes to share screen space with Salman Khan, as his younger brother. Since his schooling days he has been obsessed with acting and he took it forward by getting trained at Namit Kapoor’s acting academy. Manish enlightened me on Rainforest Resto-bar’s novel concept by turning on a switch on the table whereby red light went on from the lamp hanging above our table. Soon a waiter came to attend on us and Manish said, “See I have been here before and I know this light is switched on to call the attendant.” Wow Manish, you are quiet an observant person. When it comes to ordering food, he stayed away from starters and they day we met being Janmashtami, he went vegetarian. No soups or salad even and he went straight for main course meal. We ordered sizzlers and Manish’s came with rice and minus French fries or noodles. After finishing the sizzlers, which he relished, he said, “Until I work out in the morning, this rice-eating will sit in my mind making me feel guilty.” Come on, you can afford to eat rice once-in-a-while, I am sure. He agreed as he shared with a wide grin, “Even our gym instructors tell us to work out for 4-5 days a week and binge for a day. That’s called cheat day.” Obviously no dessert for this health freak but on my insistence he took a few spoonfuls from my yummy chocolate brownie with ice cream. Talking about the short career span of actors in this industry, Manish revealed without revealing exactly about the new project he is working on, “so that I can take my acting career easy without any tension of financial security.” I am eagerly waiting to know your backup venture young lad. Till then, I wish this guy with a boyish charm a successful film career and a bright future. Yes and that includes his dream of appearing as his idol Salman Khan’s screen brother!