Chunky Panday

Biography:

Indian actor Suyash Panday, better known by his stage name Chunky Panday, was born on September 26, 1962. He performs in Bollywood films. In a career spanning more than three decades, he has made appearances in more than 100 films.

Film Career:
In the 1987 multi-starrer Aag Hi Aag, opposite Neelam Kothari, Panday made his acting debut. In 1987, film producer Pahlaj Nihalani gave Panday his big break by casting him in two films: Paap Ki Duniya and his first feature. With Sunny Deol and Neelam, Paap Ki Duniya was his second commercially successful movie. From 1987 to 1993, Panday then made numerous multi-hero cinema appearances. Panday received praise for his supporting performance in N. Chandra’s 1988 film Tezaab, which also starred Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor. Anil Kapoor’s role Munna’s pal Babban was portrayed by Panday. Panday received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Tezaab.

Since then, he has made other films with varying degrees of success throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1992, the majority of his films in which he played the lead failed poorly at the box office. He typically played supporting parts in films with veteran performers like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Sunny Deol, and Sanjay Dutt. 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) are a few of the successful films he starred in as a second lead. In 1992, he had a solo hit with Parda Hai Parda.

In 2003, Panday made a comeback to Bollywood, appearing in small supporting roles in the films Apna Sapna Money Money, Elaan, Don: The Chase Begins Again, and Qayamat: City Under Threat.

He portrayed a thug in the Ram Gopal Varma movie D – Underworld Badshah from 2005. Later, Darwaaza Bandh Rakho filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma cast him as one of four bandits holding a family captive in the dark comic thriller.

Panday portrayed the Indo-Italian “Aakhiri Pasta” in the 2010 comedy smash Housefull. He later appeared in the sequels Housefull 2 (2012), Housefull 3 (2016), and Housefull 4 (2019) in the same capacities.

Panday has said that he prefers not to play a hero now days since there is less pressure on him if the film fails and it’s much more fun portraying different characters and showcasing his variety. This is in reference to his film selection after returning to acting in Bollywood.

Although Panday’s character acting roles have made up the majority of his second tenure in Bollywood, he doesn’t want to be limited to solely playing comedic roles. “I don’t believe I am limiting my work to only comedy. I’m hoping someone will give me another option. To cast me in something different would take a lot of guts. All I want is for someone to see in me something but humor.