Manoj Joshi reveals he suffered a stroke during Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas shoot: ‘I was bedridden for a year and a half, lost my eyesight, had 0 bank balance’

Actor Manoj Joshi, who recently appeared in Ayushmann Khurrana’s Dream Girl 2, has faced numerous challenges throughout his extensive career. One of the most trying moments was when he suffered a stroke during the filming of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 movie Devdas, leaving him bedridden for one-and-a-half years. In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Rajshri Unplugged, Manoj Joshi candidly shared how his wife played a pivotal role in supporting him during his illness and how he made a remarkable comeback in the entertainment industry, starting with his role as an antagonist in the TV show Kehta Hai Dil.

Reflecting on his stroke, Manoj said, “In 2001, I got ill. I had a stroke and I was on the hospital bed for one-and-a half year. I fell ill during the shooting of Devdas. I was in coma for four days, I lost my eyesight, I couldn’t see anything for 19 days. This is my rebirth. During that time in the hospital my bank balance became zero and my wife took tuitions to support me.”

Speaking about how a TV show helped him bounce back in films, he said, “Then in 2003 I got a chance to act in a TV show called Kehta Hai Dil. I played the role of the main villain on the show. I was suppose to star for only four days in the show but it went on and on and eventually, I became one of the lead actors on the show. Later, I got a slew of films, including Hungama, Hul Chul, and I ended up doing 12 films with filmmaker Priyadarshan.”

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Manoj Joshi’s recent film, Dream Girl 2, achieved significant success at the box office, surpassing the 100 crore mark. The actor is also renowned for his roles in comedy films from the early 2000s, such as Hulchul, Bhagam Bhag, Phir Hera Pheri, Chup Chup Ke, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

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