After 350+ films, Paintal says he's not an actor: Don't have Instagram followers

A light-hearted video featuring veteran actor Kanwarjit Paintal and actor Manmeet Singh is going viral on social media, with Paintal joking about what it takes to be called an actor today. Despite a career spanning more than 50 years and over 350 films, Paintal says in the clip that he is "not an actor".

In the video, Manmeet asks him, "Are you an actor?" Paintal replies, "Ji nahin (No)." When Manmeet says that audiences have seen his work, Paintal responds, "Mere followers nahi hai Insta pe, isliye main actor nahi hoon (I don't have followers on Instagram. Hence, I am not an actor!" The exchange continues with Manmeet asking if that means a person without followers does not qualify as an actor. Paintal says, "They absolutely don't!" He ends the conversation by adding, "And also lots of followers!"

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Manmeet Singh said the clip was shot in 2023 on the sets of the film Hukus Bukus. He said it was a spontaneous moment between takes. "We were doing masti (fun) on the sets and planned this with sir. He took it sportingly, and it was great fun to shoot this video. He's a very cool and genuinely down-to-earth person. As an actor, he's first-class, which everyone knows," he said.

Paintal has been active in films and television since the 1970s and remains a familiar name in the industry. His work includes films such as Bawarchi and Dostana, and more recently the television show Anupamaa. He is also especially remembered for playing Shikhandi in Mahabharat.

In an earlier conversation with Rajshri Unplugged, Paintal spoke about how he entered the film world. He said, "See how destiny guides you. My father was a cameraman at a production house in Lahore called Pancholi Arts, before the Partition. After the Partition, our family came to Mumbai, and Pancholi told my father that he could direct a new movie for them. But Pancholi died, and the film never took off. So, my father moved to Delhi, where he set up a basic photography shop."

The viral clip, meanwhile, has drawn attention for its humorous take on the role of social media in the entertainment industry, even as it features an actor with a long body of work behind him.