Oct 11, 2026 9:51pm IST
‘Bigg Boss 20’ Wildcard Manish Goel Reveals He Will Play As A ‘Lone Wolf’ In Salman Khan’s Show (Exclusive)
Manish Goel is the first wildcard to enter “Bigg Boss 20.” Audiences who have watched Indian TV shows for decades will remember him from serials like “Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii,” “Ghar Ek Mandir,” “Bhabhi” and “Nimki Vidhayak” to name a few. His latest stint was “Anupamaa.” Goel’s last reality show as a contestant was “Zara Nach Ke Dikha” in 2008. In a chat with Variety India, he says, “Over the years, audiences have loved my onscreen characters. I felt this was a good platform to showcase my real personality.”
While many senior TV actors are image conscious and hence avoid “Bigg Boss,” Goel feels it is not an issue as long as one plays with dignity and sportsmanship. He terms himself as a ‘lone wolf,’ saying, “I am very competitive, which is my strength. Also, I believe that solitude is my solace. And I am confident but not over-confident.”
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He reveals that his wife Poonam Narula is a huge fan of the show and how his friends are former winners. He narrates, “She is over the moon that I am finally doing this. Also, my friends Juhi Parmar and Urvashi Dholakia have won this show. Shilpa Shinde was launched opposite me.”
Goel is candid enough to accept that it is tough for senior actors to get good roles in the current scenario. He opines, “This lull is being faced by everyone whether it is corporate studios or individual producers. The revival has to happen across the board. We need to accept that times have changed and adapt accordingly. Saying that, there are producers who manage to make shows with good budgets despite constraints. I remember there was a time when one would get two to three acting offers in a month. We could afford to be choosy. Now, competition is tough and budgets are low.”
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Goel further says, “Whenever I get a role that I felt would help me grow as an actor I take it up. The budget or money is secondary. I have rejected bad roles even when the payment was good. I feel this attitude has worked for me throughout my career no matter what the scenario is.”
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