Manish Dayal

Grandfather's Name

Manish Patel arrived in New York with a suitcase and an acting degree under his arm. He decided to use Dayal, his grandfather's name, to keep from being typecast in the supporting roles Hollywood reserved for actors of Indian descent.

He started out filming national commercials for Domino’s Pizza and McDonald’s. That work paid the rent while he waited for a real break in independent film.

And the gamble paid off.

In 2010, he landed a role in Rubicon, a cult series that didn't last long but caught the attention of casting directors. Shortly after, he appeared in the remake of 90210, playing a student with cancer. But his big break came thanks to two giants of the industry.

Spielberg's Kitchen

Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey produced The Hundred-Foot Journey in 2014. Dayal had to learn to cook professionally to play Hassan Kadam, a food prodigy who competes with an elite French chef.

Sharing the screen with Helen Mirren was an accelerated learning experience. During the shoot in France, the actor spent hours watching how the veteran actress handled the silent beats between lines. Up until then, his training had been purely theater and television.

The movie grossed nearly $90 million worldwide.

Following that commercial success, he starred in Viceroy's House in 2017. In this historical film by Gurinder Chadha, he played a palace worker during the partition of India. Critics praised his ability to carry the dramatic weight of a complex political plot charged with racial tension.

Six Years of Medical Shifts

In 2018, he signed the contract that would change his financial and professional stability. He joined the main cast of The Resident, playing Dr. Devon Pravesh.

The series ended after six seasons.

Over 107 episodes, his character evolved from a rookie resident into a seasoned professional in a corrupt healthcare system. But Dayal didn't limit himself to acting. In 2022, he directed the episode titled The Space Between, marking his behind-the-camera debut on a big-budget production for the Fox network.

It wasn't all smooth sailing.

So his move into genre projects happened naturally. In 2024, his joining the second season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon was announced. Filming for this zombie franchise required physical preparation different from his previous urban dramas. Production of these episodes took place mainly in European locations under strict safety protocols.

The final budget of Viceroy's House exceeded eight million pounds sterling.