Veteran comedian Johny Lever recently looked back on his longtime admiration for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Known for recreating MJ’s dance moves in films like ‘Mahakaal’ and ‘Barood’, Lever’s performances have grabbed attention once again amid the buzz surrounding the recently released biopic ‘Michael’.In a chat with Variety India, the veteran star shared a fascinating memory of Michael Jackson’s early days when he was not very popular in India. He said: “When nobody knew Michael Jackson, I bought his audio cassette. I didn’t know Michael either. We were on a tour bus, and he was playing this song that I liked. I asked him, ‘Who sang the song? I want to buy this cassette.’“He gave it to me.”
Johnny Lever’s mistaken identity about Michael Jackson
Recounting the moment humorously, Johny Lever admitted that at first he thought the voice belonged to a female singer. “I thought it was a female singer. I kept listening to the tape. Later I found out it was a boy and not a girl (laughs). Then her ‘Thriller’ album came out. Her songs came out. Her first song was ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’. We didn’t even have a video player at the time.”He also explained how he first saw Jackson, saying he visited a friend’s house in Versova to watch him on screen. Lever added with a smile, “So even before anyone copied Michael Jackson in America, Johny Lever copied it first.”
The biopic ‘Michael’ hits theaters
Meanwhile, the biographical drama ‘Michael’ has received a great response globally and is also doing well in India. The film stars Jaafar Jackson, alongside actors such as Nia Long, Miles Teller and Colman Domingo.Interestingly, while the film is gaining popularity, Lever revealed that while his children have already seen and enjoyed it, he has yet to watch the biopic himself.
