Chunky Pandey

Suyash Panday (born 26 September 1962), better known by his stage name Chunky Panday, is an Indian actor who works in Hindi-language films.

Early life

Chunky Panday was born as Suyash Panday on 26 September 1962 in Bombay, to Sharad Panday (1934–2004), a heart surgeon known for the 'Panday shunt' workaround for mitral valve replacement, and Snehlata Panday (1936–2011), a physician. Snehlata was a gynaecologist who opened a beauty parlour and a clinic for slimming during the 1980s, one of the first of its kind in India, some of her celebrity patients including Bollywood stars Rekha and Vinod Khanna, also authoring books and articles on the subject of weight loss. Snehlata was of Punjabi descent.

He has one younger brother Chikki Panday, a businessman.

Before entering films, he was in the same acting school as Akshay Kumar, serving as his acting instructor.

Career

1987–1993: Debut and early success

Panday debuted his acting career with the 1987 multi-starer film '' Aag Hi Aag'' opposite Neelam Kothari. Film producer Pahlaj Nihalani gave Panday his first break in 1987 by signing him up for two films, his debut film and Paap Ki Duniya. His second successful film was '' Paap Ki Duniya'' with Sunny Deol and Neelam. Subsequently, Panday appeared in many multi-hero films from 1987 to 1993. In 1988, Panday was appreciated for his supporting role in N. Chandra's film '' Tezaab'' featuring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. Panday played the character of Babban, Munna's (Anil Kapoor) friend. For his performance in ''Tezaab'', Panday was nominated for the Filmfare Award for the Best Supporting Actor.

Since then he has appeared in many films with mixed success throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Most of his films where he had the leading role did not fare well at the box office from 1992. In most films, he was cast in supporting roles to senior actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dutt. Some of those hit films with him in second lead, are '' Paap Ki Duniya'' (1988), '' Khatron Ke Khiladi'' (1988), '' Ghar Ka Chiraag'' (1989), ''Nakabandi'', '' Zahreelay'' (1990), '' Rupaye Dus Karod'', ''Vishwatma'' (1992), '' Lootere'' (1993) and '' Aankhen'' (1993). His solo hit was '' Parda Hai Parda'' (1992).

1994–2003: Career slump and hiatus

The advent of the 1990s saw a new wave of actors like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan taking on roles as "romantic heroes", while Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Ajay Devgan grabbed the "action hero" roles, whereas Sunny Deol and Govinda remained established actors. Panday found it difficult to slot himself in either category. In addition, by the late nineties, solo-hero films were back in vogue instead of the multi-hero films in which Panday was generally cast and Panday was not seen as a marketable hero for solo hero films.

Panday grew increasingly tired of playing second fiddle to more prominent actors, but had difficulty being seen as marketable, other than supporting household names. "I was offered hero ke bhai ka (lead actor's brother) roles," he said. "I (told them), 'Boss, not happening.'" Due to a lack of work in Bollywood, he moved to act as hero in Bangladesh films. In 1995, he was offered his first films as the lead hero in Bangladeshi films. He acted in six films between 1995 and 1997 as hero in Bangladesh and all of them were successful. Between 1997 and 2002, he received minimal work in Bollywood, playing supporting roles in low-budget films like ''Tirchhi Topiwale'', '' Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan'', '' Kaun Rokega Mujhe'' and '' Jwalamukhi''.

2003 to present: Return to Bollywood

Panday returned to Bollywood in 2003 playing minor supporting roles in '' Qayamat: City Under Threat'', '' Elaan'', '' Don: The Chase Begins Again'', '' Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost'' and '' Apna Sapna Money Money''.

In 2005, he played an underworld gangster in the Ram Gopal Varma film '' D – Underworld Badshah''. Later, director Ram Gopal Varma roped him in for '' Darwaaza Bandh Rakho'', a dark comedy thriller in which he played one of four robbers who hold a family hostage.

Between the years of 2006 to 2010, Panday would star in small comedic roles, settling into a reputation of being comic relief. The role that earned him the most success was playing the character of Indo-Italian "Aakhiri Pasta" in the 2010 comedy hit '' Housefull.'' His catchphrase from the movie that is often quoted is an accented "I'm-a joking!" His role was so memorable that he reprised the role in the sequels '' Housefull 2'' in 2012, '' Housefull 3'' in 2016, '' Housefull 4'' in 2019 and '' Housefull 5'' in 2025.

In regards to his film selection since returning to acting in Bollywood, Panday has stated that he prefers not to play a hero nowadays because there is less pressure on him if the film fails and it's much more fun playing interesting characters and showing his range.

While Panday's second stint in Bollywood has mainly consisted of starring as a character actor, he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into only doing comic roles. "I don't think I am restricting myself to doing only comedy. I am hoping that someone offers me something else. It requires a lot of guts for someone to cast me in something else. I am just hoping that someone sees something else in me other than comedy."

This hope was realised with Panday starring as villains in the films '' Begum Jaan'', '' Prassthanam'', ''Saaho'', ''Sardar'' and web series '' Abhay''.

Personal life

Panday married Bhavana Panday (née Khosla) in January 1998. They have two daughters, Ananya, an actress, and Rysa.

Filmography

Films

Television series

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandey, Chunky
Living people
1962 births
Indian male film actors
Male actors in Hindi cinema
Male actors from Mumbai
20th-century Indian male actors
21st-century Indian male actors
People of Punjabi descent