Manikpuri made his Hindi film debut as a lead in Peepli Live in 2010.

[1][2] Manikpuri was born in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh where he attended school until fifth grade when the death of his father forced him to join a village folk-theatre troupe, Mandali.

[4][clarification needed] In 2010, Manikpuri made his film debut in Bollywood with Aamir Khan productions' Peepli Live, in which he played the lead.

[2] Initially he had auditioned for the minor role of Machua, but later was given the lead of Natha, which was till then reportedly to be played by Aamir Khan.

[8] In 2023 released Red Chillies Entertainments' (Atlee directorial and Shah Rukh Khan starrer) Jawan, Manikpuri played Leher Khan's father, a Dalit farmer and a loving father who is unable to repay a loan and ultimately hangs himself to aid his daughter's education through the suicide-compensation amount provided by the government, similar to his character from Peepli Live.