Chunky Pandey


Suyash Pandey, better known by his stage name Chunky Pandey, is an Indian film actor who works in Bollywood films. He has appeared in over 80 movies in a career that has spanned over three decades.
His most successful movies in Hindi were in the period 1987-1993. After the failure of his Hindi films as lead hero since 1994, his career in Hindi films faded away. Chunky then worked in Bangladeshi Cinema from 1995 and most of his movies in Bangladesh were successful. He has been acting as a character actor since 2003 in Hindi films. He is the father of actress Ananya Pandey and the uncle of actor and model Ahaan Panday.

Career

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

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 Chunky 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 movie Tezaab featuring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. Pandey played the character of Babban, Munna's friend. 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, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Ghar Ka Chiraag, Nakabandi, Zahreelay, Rupaye Dus Karod, Vishwatma, Lootere and Aankhen. His solo hit was Parda Hai Parda.

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.
Chunky 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 roles," Chunky said. "I, 'Boss, not happening.'" 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

Chunky Pandey returned to Bollywood in 2003 playing minor supporting roles in ', Elaan, ' and Apna Sapna Money Money.
In 2005, Pandey 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 has 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.
Though he has recently been starring a character actor, Chunky doesn't want to be pigeonholed into doing comic roles. "I don't think I am restricting myself to doing only comedy. I am hoping that someone offers me something else," Pandey said. "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."

Personal life

Pandey married Bhavna Pandey in January 1998. They have two daughters, including actress Ananya Panday.

Filmography

YearFilmRole
1981RockyBell-ringer student in song "Rocky Mera Naam"
1987Aag Hi AagVijay Singh
1988TezaabBaban
1988Gunahon Ka FaislaSheru
1988Paap Ki DuniyaInspector Vijay
1988Khatron Ke KhiladiMahesh Avtar
1988AgneeBabla
1989Ustad
1989Paanch Papi
1989Mitti Aur SonaVijay Bhushan
1989Kasam Vardi Ki
1989Ghar Ka ChiraagRavi
1989Na-InsaafiSonu
1989Gola BaroodVigat
1989Zakham
1990ZahreelayRaju Verma
1990Tadap
1990NakabandiRaja 'Munna' D. Singh
1990KhilaafVikram 'Vicky' Veerpratap Singh
1990Atishbaaz
1990Aaj Ke Shahenshah
1991Kohraam
1991Do MatwaleAmar
1991Rupaye Dus KarodSuraj
1991Jeevan DaataGuddu/Shankar
1992Parda Hai PardaVijay
1992NaseebwaalaAmar
1992Kasak
1992VishwatmaAkash Bhardwaj
1992Khule-AamSurya
1992ApradhiSalim/Ravi
1993AankhenRanjeet
1993LootereAli
1993Police WalaJimmy/CBI Officer Jagmohan Nath
1993Aakhri Chetawani
1994GopalaaMajor Anand/Gopal "Gopala" Anand
1994InsaniyatHariharan
1994BollywoodAshok
1994Teesra Kaun?Vijay Verma
1997Kaun Rokega Mujhe
1997Bhoot BhunglaAmar
1998Tirchhi TopiwaleAnand
1999Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri JaanChali D'Souza
2000JwalamukhiPolice inspector Bhola
2001KasamFugitive
2003'Gopal, a scientist
2003Mumbai Se Aaya Mera DostAjay singh
2005ElaanSalim
2005DRaghav
2005SsukhRakesh Verma
2006Apna Sapna Money MoneyRana Jang Bahadur
2006Darwaaza Bandh RakhoRaghu
2006'T.J
2006I See YouAkshay 'AK' Kapoor
2007Fool N FinalRocky
2007Om Shanti OmAs himself – Special Appearance
2008Hello DarlingRocky
2009Balli
2009Paying GuestRonnie
2009Sankat CitySikandar Khan
2009Daddy CoolHarry
2009ShortkutGuru Kapoor
2009De Dana DanNonny Chadda
2010ClickManu Sharma
2010HousefullAkhri Pasta
2010Tees Maar KhanHimself
2011ReadySpecial appearance
2011RascalsBhagat Bhulabhai Chouhan
2012Housefull 2Aakhiri Pasta
2012Kyaa Super Kool Hain HumBaba 3G
2012Hum Hai Raahi Car KeKhukhri Thapa / Paaji
2013Bullett RajaLallan Tiwari
2013HimmatwalaMichael Jaikishan
2014Gang of GhostsGulab Chand
2014HumshakalsBijlani
2016Housefull 3Akhri Pasta/Aakhri Aastha
2016Badman
2017Begum JaanKabir
2019SaahoDevraj
2019PrassthanamBajwa Khatri
2019Housefull 4Akhri Pasta
2020Jawaani JaanemanRocky
2020Vikun TakDebut Marathi Flim

Awards and nominations