▁ 2 0 ) ▁in ▁Bh il ai ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Career ▁Man ik p uri ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 , ▁as ▁a ▁perform er ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁form ▁of ▁folk ▁theatre ▁called ▁Nach a ▁and ▁joined ▁an ▁it iner ant ▁village ▁theatre ▁group . ▁Perform ing ▁often ▁in ▁makes h ift ▁and ▁open ▁air ▁stages , ▁he ▁performed ▁as ▁a ▁singer , ▁dan cer , ▁m im ic ▁and ▁a ▁stand - up ▁com ic . ▁Later ▁he ▁joined ▁N aya ▁Theatre ▁which ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Hab ib ▁Tan vir ▁in ▁Bh op al . ▁With ▁the ▁N aya ▁Theatre ▁he ▁has ▁performed , ▁in ▁India ▁and ▁abroad , ▁class ics ▁such ▁as ▁A gra ▁B az aar , ▁Char andas ▁Chor , ▁Kam dev ▁ka ▁Ap na ▁Bas ant ▁R itu ▁ka ▁S ap na ▁and ▁Sad ak . ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁a ▁performance ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁play ▁Char andas ▁Chor ▁in ▁Bh op al , ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁noticed ▁by ▁An ush a ▁R iz vi ▁and ▁Mah m ood ▁Far oo qui , ▁the ▁co - direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁film , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁him ▁aud ition ing ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁in ▁Bh op al . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Man ik p uri ▁made ▁his ▁film ▁debut ▁in ▁Bol lywood ▁with ▁A am ir ▁Khan ▁produ ctions ' ▁Pe ep li ▁Live , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁played ▁the ▁lead . ▁Initial ly