Chunky Pandey

Suyash Pandey (born 26 September 1962), better known by his stage name Chunky Pandey, is an Indian film actor who works in Bollywood films.[1][2] He has appeared in over 80 films in a career that has spanned over three decades.

Chunky Pandey
Chunky Pandey at the success party of the film The Forest, 2012
Born
Suyash Pandey

(1962-09-26) 26 September 1962
Bombay (present Mumbai), Maharashtra, India
Occupation
  • Actor
  • model
Years active1987present
Spouse(s)
Bhavana Pandey
(m. 1998)
Children2 (including Ananya Panday)

His most successful films in Hindi were in the period 1987-1994. After the failure of his Hindi films as lead hero since 1994, his career in Hindi films faded away. He then worked in Bangladeshi cinema from 1995 and most of his films in Bangladesh were successful. He has been acting as a character actor since 2003 in Hindi films.

He is the father of actress Ananya Panday.[3]

Early life

Pandey was born as Suyash Pandey on 26 September 1962 in Bombay.[1][4][5]

Career

Pandey worked as an instructor in acting school in 1986. He used to be senior to many junior budding artists such as Akshay Kumar.[6]

1987–1993: Debut and early success

Pandey debuted his acting career with the 1987 multi-starer film Aag Hi Aag opposite Neelam Kothari. Film producer Pahlaj Nihalani gave Pandey 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, Pandey appeared in many multi-hero films from 1987 to 1993. In 1988, Pandey was appreciated for his supporting role in N. Chandra's film Tezaab featuring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. Pandey played the character of Babban, Munna's (Anil Kapoor) friend.[7] For his performance in Tezaab, Pandey 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. Pandey 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 Pandey was generally cast.

Pandey 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.'"[8] 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.[9] 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

Pandey returned to Bollywood in 2003 playing minor supporting roles in Qayamat: City Under Threat, Elaan, Don: The Chase Begins Again 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.

Pandey played the role of the Indo-Italian "Aakhiri Pasta" in the 2010 comedy hit Housefull followed by his reprised roles in the sequels Housefull 2 in 2012, Housefull 3 in 2016 and in Housefull 4 in 2019.

In regards to his film selection since returning to acting in Bollywood, Pandey 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.[10]

While Pandey'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."[11]

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

Personal life

Pandey married Bhavana Pandey in January 1998. They have two daughters, including actress Ananya Panday.[12][13]

Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role
1981 Rocky Bell-ringer student (extra) in song "Rocky Mera Naam"
1987 Aag Hi Aag Vijay Singh
1988 Tezaab Baban
Gunahon Ka Faisla Sheru
Paap Ki Duniya Inspector Vijay
Khatron Ke Khiladi Mahesh Avtar
Agnee Babla
1989 Ustad
Paanch Paapi
Mitti Aur Sona Vijay Bhushan
Kasam Vardi Ki
Ghar Ka Chiraag Ravi
Na-Insaafi Sonu
Gola Barood Vigat
Zakham
1990 Zahreelay Raju Verma
Tadap
Nakabandi Raja 'Munna' D. Singh
Khilaaf Vikram 'Vicky' Veerpratap Singh
Atishbaaz
Aaj Ke Shahenshah
1991 Kohraam
Do Matwale Amar
Rupaye Dus Karod Suraj
Jeevan Daata Guddu/Shankar
1992 Parda Hai Parda Vijay
Sone Ki Lanka Rohit
Naseebwaala Amar
Kasak
Vishwatma Akash Bhardwaj
Khule-Aam Surya
Apradhi Salim/Ravi
1993 Aankhen Ranjeet (Munnu)
Lootere Ali
Police Wala Jimmy/CBI Officer Jagmohan Nath
Aakhri Chetawani
1994 Gopalaa Major Anand/Gopal "Gopala" Anand
Insaniyat Hariharan
Bollywood Ashok
Teesra Kaun? Vijay Verma
1997 Kaun Rokega Mujhe
Bhoot Bhungla Amar
1998 Tirchhi Topiwale Anand
1999 Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan Chali D'Souza
2000 Jwalamukhi Police inspector Bhola
2001 Kasam Fugitive
2003 Qayamat: City Under Threat Gopal, a scientist
Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost Ajay singh
2005 Elaan Salim
D Raghav
Ssukh Rakesh Verma
2006 Apna Sapna Money Money Rana Jang Bahadur
Darwaaza Bandh Rakho Raghu
Don: The Chase Begins Again T.J (special appearance)
I See You Akshay 'AK' Kapoor
2007 Fool N Final Rocky
Om Shanti Om As himself (special appearance)
2008 Hello Darling Rocky
2009 Ek: The Power of One Balli
Paying Guest Ronnie
Sankat City Sikandar Khan (dual role)
Daddy Cool Harry
Shortkut Guru Kapoor
De Dana Dan Nonny Chadda
2010 Click Manu Sharma
Housefull Akhri Pasta
2010 Tees Maar Khan Himself
2011 Ready Special appearance
2011 Rascals Bhagat Bhulabhai Chouhan(BBC)
2012 Housefull 2 Aakhiri Pasta
Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum Baba 3G
Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke Khukhri Thapa / Paaji
2013 Bullett Raja Lallan Tiwari
Himmatwala Michael Jaikishan
2014 Gang of Ghosts Gulab Chand
Humshakals Bijlani
2016 Housefull 3 Akhri Pasta/Aakhri Aastha[14]
Badman [15]
2017 Begum Jaan Kabir
2019 Saaho Devraj
Prassthanam Bajwa Khatri[16]
Housefull 4 Akhri Pasta
2020 Jawaani Jaaneman Rajender Sharma aka Rocky
2020 Vikun Tak Debut Marathi film
2020 Abhay Antagonist

Awards and nominations

YearFromAwardFilmResult
1989Filmfare AwardsBest Supporting Actor AwardTezaabNominated
2007Filmfare AwardsBest Performance in a Comic RoleApna Sapna Money MoneyNominated
IIFA AwardsBest Performance in a Comic RoleNominated
2013IIFA AwardsBest Performance in a Comic RoleHousefull 2Nominated
Zee Cine AwardsBest Actor in a Comic RoleNominated

References

  1. "From arclight to mining light: Chunky Pandey won offshore mining rights, but it was no happy ending". The Economic Times. 23 May 2015. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  2. "Chunky Pandey shooting in Lucknow". Times of India. 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  3. Colacello, Bob. "Inside Paris's 25th Annual le Bal des Débutantes". Vanity Fair.
  4. "Chunky Pandey's Star-Studded Birthday Bash: SRK, Gauri, Malaika and Others Spotted at Party". International Business Times. 26 September 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  5. "Chunky Pandey set to make his Marathi film debut". Outlook. 28 December 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  6. "Akshay was huge fan of his once acting instructor Chunky Pandey". Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. IANS (16 June 2010). "Chunky Pandey says happy playing second lead in films". NDTV Movies. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  8. "The Second Life of Chunky Pandey". Open The Magazine. 26 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  9. "The Second Life of Chunky Pandey". 26 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Chunky Pandey doesn't want to stick to comedy". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  12. Sabharwal, Mehak (9 May 2019). "Bhavna Pandey reveals people were calculating if she conceived Ananya Panday before marriage or after". www.timesnownews.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  13. "Bhavna Pandey reveals if daughter Ananya was born before or after marriage". Free Press Journal. 9 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  14. "Chunky Pandey to play double role in 'Housefull 3'". The Times of India. 21 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  15. "Wait, what? Gulshan Grover is playing a good guy now. Guess the villain". Hindustan Times. 27 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  16. "Chunky Panday: Meet "The Opportunist" from Prassthanam". Glamsham. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
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