Manhar Seth Wants To Expand Main Shayar Toh Nahi Internationally, Reveals If He Will Do Bigg Boss- EXCLUSIVE

Manhar Seth interview: Who doesn't love the tadka of cheesy humour and relatable storytelling? As Filmibeat caught up with Manhar Seth before his performance for his standup show Main Shayar Toh Nahi, he bared his heart out about expanding his brand and taking things a notch higher.

In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat Chief Copy Editor Abhishek Ranjit, Manhar opened up about expanding Main Shayar Toh Nahi. Considering his popularity, how can I not ask him if he is keen to participate in a show like Bigg Boss or The 50?

Here are excerpts from the fun-filled interview-

1.⁠ ⁠Actor, writer, standup artist, voice-over artist- you're a man of multiple talents. Itni energy aati kaha se hai? And what's the secret behind the energy and charm?

Honestly, mujhe lagta hai energy curiosity se aati hai. I genuinely enjoy performing, whether it's stand-up, poetry, voice work or acting. Har format mein storytelling ka ek alag flavour milta hai. Stage pe aake jab log haste hain, react karte hain, woh jo feedback loop hota hai na- that's the real energy drink.

Over the last few years, performing Main Shayar Toh Nahi across India and overseas has been that fuel. The show has now been watched by 100,000+ people live across 35+ cities in India, the UK and Canada, so every city, every audience adds something new to the energy.

2.⁠ ⁠You have charmed the audience in Mumbai, Jaipur, Delhi, Jodhpur- where did you receive the loudest cheer?

Every city has its own personality. Mumbai audiences are very quick and sharp, they catch every small joke. Delhi audiences are full-power, very expressive. Jaipur and Jodhpur have this beautiful warmth where people really connect with the poetry.

However, honestly, some of the loudest and most surprising reactions I've received recently have been during college shows- IIT Mumbai, IIT Patna and Parul University. Performing for 10,000+ students across these campuses in the last few months has been madness. Young audiences bring a completely different energy to the room.

3.⁠ ⁠Main Shayar Toh Nahi- is hilarious, fun-filled and heartwarming at the same time. When did you decide to create this IP? And what was the idea behind the same?

The idea came from something very simple. I grew up loving shayari, but I also loved making people laugh. At some point I thought, why can't poetry be funny and relatable at the same time? Why does it always have to be serious or heartbreak-heavy?

So Main Shayar Toh Nahi became this mix of storytelling, poetry and stand-up comedy. Over time it grew into a proper touring show. Today it has travelled to 35+ cities across India, the UK and Canada, and we're really excited because the tour is expanding to Australia and the US in 2026.

4.⁠ ⁠Combining poetry and comedy is not an easy affair, but you made it memorable with your swag. Did you also go through a heartbreak journey, which later became your source of inspiration?

I think every poet has a little heartbreak somewhere in the background. But I realised something interesting- heartbreak stories are everywhere, but finding humour in them is what makes them relatable.

Instead of only writing sad poetry, I started exploring the funny side of love, dating, relationships, awkward moments and people connected with that instantly.

5.⁠ ⁠Having seen you perform live, the first thing that came to my mind was 'JHAKAAS'- How did this stand-up gig bug bite you? Bachpan se ya teenage?

The bug definitely bit during my teenage years. I always enjoyed performing in school and college events. But the real turning point was when I started experimenting with storytelling on stage. I realised that if you narrate something honestly- whether it's a funny incident or a poetic thought audiences connect instantly.

From there the journey just kept growing, and today performing live across cities and countries is something I truly look forward to.

6.⁠ ⁠Your signature storytelling is your biggest asset which you incorporate in your shows. Is there a sense of sadness as well behind the effortless humour?

I think humour and sadness are actually very close cousins. A lot of great comedy comes from observing life very honestly. Sometimes those observations come from awkward moments, disappointments or heartbreak.

However the job of a comedian is to convert those emotions into laughter. If people can walk out of the theatre smiling after hearing a story from your life that's the best outcome.

7.⁠ ⁠The stand-up scene in India has taken a massive turn with more prominent artists taking over the stage with their acts. However, at times, controversies tend to attract stand-up comedy. What's your take on it? Are stand-up artists easy targets?

Stand-up is a very personal art form. You're standing alone on stage with a mic and sharing your thoughts. Naturally, sometimes those thoughts may spark debate. But I think the larger picture is very positive. The Indian stand-up scene has grown massively, with artists exploring different styles- storytelling, musical comedy, poetry-based comedy, crowd work, everything.

Ultimately audiences decide what they enjoy, and the diversity of voices is what makes the scene exciting.

8.⁠ ⁠Aapne sabka Man toh chuh liya, and your Instagram followers and videos are significant proof of the same. But what is that thing in your bucket list that you want to tick off? Will we ever see Manhar in a reality show like Bigg Boss or The 50?

Never say never! But right now my focus is mostly on creating more live shows and digital content. My Instagram growth has largely come from reels that mix shayari and comedy, and it's amazing to see people sharing those lines and relating to them.

If a reality show happens organically someday, great but my main bucket list right now is to keep building live shows and touring internationally.

9.⁠ ⁠What's next in your kitty? Any specific projects that we can look forward to?

The big focus right now is expanding Main Shayar Toh Nahi internationally. After travelling across 35+ cities in India, the UK and Canada, we're now planning to take the show to Australia and the US in 2026, which I'm really looking forward to.

I've also been collaborating with different artists across live shows and digital content, which has been a lot of fun because every collaboration brings a different kind of energy to the stage.

Apart from touring, I'm also experimenting with music this year. I'm working on a few songs with Saregama, which will carry the same flavour of shayari, storytelling and humour that people enjoy in my live shows.

At the same time, the digital journey continues- my reels that mix shayari and comedy have been growing steadily online, and I've also been enjoying working with brands like iQOO, JioStar, Dabur, Ajio, Audible and Realme, where I get to bring that same poetic relatability and humour into brand storytelling.

So the idea is to keep building more shows, more cities, and new formats along the way.