Meet Manoj Chandra | Actor/Writer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Manoj Chandra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Manoj, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Creation has been always my go-to space for Happiness. Bringing a character to life or even creating a universe by building a story has always given me happiness. There is an enormous amount of Joy when I build a story or a character, there is always a fascinating element to it, most of the time while I’m in the process of building these I would never know the outcome of it. But regardless of the result of it, I feel accomplished since I believe being part of the process itself gives me happiness.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an Actor/Writer born and raised in India. At the age of 17, I became an actor and pursued it professionally. I grew to the point where I was working with Blockbuster producers and actors on various Films and TV shows. I moved to the states in 2020 amidst the pandemic. Being an actor in a country that doesn’t speak my language was not easy, At a point, it almost convinced me of giving up on my dream of going back to India. But considering the Covid situation globally I had to make a wise decision. I also felt giving up so easily won’t define me and I needed to fight harder. I decided to stay back and pursue this professionally. 6 months passed and I was on my first International film set playing a principal role in the film “Christmas in Miami”. Another 6 months passed, and I had to fly down to Nigeria for the premiere of Christmas in Miami. The film ended up being 2021’s highest-grossing film in Africa and has won the hearts of the audience. 3 months into 2022 and I was playing lead roles in two major films which are planned to release next year. I have also been in 2 National commercials and 3 regional commercials. I learned a serious lesson about patience and how it can take you such a long way. I want to inspire people and have them achieve their dreams. Nothing in this life is impossible and Sky is your limit.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love it when friends come over. There’s a saying in my culture which goes like this “Athithi Devo Bhava”. This means your guest is your god. So in my culture treating a guest with the utmost respect and pampering them is very much mandatory. My guests love me not only for the respect I give but for the hidden local spots I take them to. My favorite place to drink is Eddie’s Attic and the Octopus Bar. Sometimes when we would like to share a good laugh I take them to a comedy show. I’m friends with a few comedians in town and they’re hilarious, sometimes we end up going to their house and it ends up in a private comedy show. Sweetwater Creek State Park is my go-to place when the weather is at its best. I would recommend anybody who visits the town to go there at least once during their visit.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, I would like to dedicate this shoutout to a few people and a book that played an important part in my Journey. Firstly, I would like to thank Rhonda Byrne for publishing the book “The Secret”. Everything in my life has been a by-product of energy and manifestation and the thoughts I put out to the universe. I also would like to thank all my friends and family and my colleagues who were supportive and are very much responsible for everything I’m able to do today.Website: IMDB.me/manoj

Website: imdb.me/manoj

Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_manoj_chandra

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manojchandra4u/

Other: https://linktr.ee/manojchandra