Chunky Panday returns: The beauty of the show business is you cannot write anyone off

Some actors are like a distinct wave in a multitude of waves that comes charged at the seashore make its presence known to an alert observer and recede into the sea. Almost always such a wave is noticed and acknowledged. One such actor is Chunky Panday.

Among the breed of Hindi film stars who began their career in late 1980s and who deserved more films to showcase their talent but did not receive it, Chunky Panday, perhaps, tops the list. Such has been the effect of the potential power of his star personality that he finds raving mention in the novel 'Shantaram' — a work which is suffused with deeply humanistic and tender experiences of Australian writer Gregory David Roberts.

Roberts speaks about his experience of visiting a set of a film in the late 1980s or perhaps early 1990s. The film’s lead actor is Panday. Roberts describes Panday, “The star, Chunky Panday, was a handsome, athletic, young Bombay guy. I'd seen him in a few of the movies I'd watched with my Indian friends, and I was surprised to discover that he was considerably more handsome and charismatic in person than he was on the screen.”


He adds, “A make-up assistant held up a mirror while Chunky combed and fretted at his hair. The intensity of the gaze that he focused on the mirror was as steadfast as a surgeon's might be in the midst of a complex and critical procedure.”

For sceptics, this may seem gushing description of Panday. But there is one aspect of Panday’s film career which even his harsh critics acknowledge. In a right role, Panday stands out and evokes a train of thought in the audience which is: He should do more such work. Be it films like 'Tezaab', 'Aankhen', 'D', 'Housefull 3' or 'Begum Jaan', Panday, time and again, has charged as a wave which is acknowledged.

Today, besides the debut of his daughter Ananya, there are a few films of Panday’s which have attracted public attention. The latest to hit the screen is his new short film 'Tap Tap'. In a tone which matches his long years of experience in the show business, Panday says, “The beauty of the show business is you cannot write anyone off. You can never say an actor or a technician is a has-been. It only takes one film or a song and an actor is back in the reckoning. This is what I liked about our film industry.” He says, “This is what my new short film 'Tap Tap' shows in an interesting manner.”

'Tap Tap' is a short film based on a music composer of the 1980s and 90s. He is the most sought-after composer in the 1980s and 90s. Today it seems he is a has-been. He gets an opportunity to prove his mettle as a composer. But he is in doubt whether he can deliver and make a comeback which he deserves. In ways more than one, it resembles Panday’s film career.

Panday notes, “I know what a has-been is because I have been a has-been myself. I have been approached for a lot of short films in the past few years. Some short films had certain amount of social message.” He adds, “My first film 'Aag Hi Aag' came in 1987. It was the biggest hit of the year. My honeymoon period lasted only for a year. In 1988, Aamir Khan debuted in 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'. Then in 1989 arrived Salman Khan with 'Maine Pyaar Kiya' and 1990 Shah Rukh Khan debuted with 'Deewana'. This was followed by debut of Ajay Devgan in 1991 and Akshay Kumar in 1992. So, every year after my debut a big star was debuting in the next five years. Such was the competition.”

In the few years after his debut in 1987, Panday worked in films which had more than one star. Some of these films were 'Tezaab', 'Gunahon Ka Faisla', 'Paap Ki Duniya', 'Khatron Ke Khiladi' and 'Zakham'. Though these films had more than one star, Panday managed to make a mark for himself and emerge as a successful mainstream star. Quite prominently, his pairing with actress Neelam was a big draw at the box office. There came a spate of films where Panday made an impact but those films did not provide him incremental work which could help sustain his career. He says, “Being part of a blockbuster film like 'Aankhen' did not benefit me. I was without work for six months after the film.”

With no roles which could do justice to his talent, it seemed that Panday began accepting films which came his way. Some of these films such as 'Jwalamukhi', 'Bhoot Bangla' and 'Kasam' are forgettable. Recollecting his uncertain times, Panday says, “I was not frustrated during the period I did not have work. I kept on doing some work. Then a friend recommended a Bangla film, which I readily accepted.” For a brief period of three years, Panday worked in Bengali films made in Bangladesh. He received some recognition there and these films stretched his film career.

It was in the film 'D' which again brought Panday into the mainstream Hindi cinema. So, this journey of making a mark, slipping into oblivion and then returning to showcase one’s talent has been almost a hallmark of Panday’s career. This was followed by another memorable character role Akkhir Pasta in the comedy film 'Housefull 3'. Today, as more character roles are written and duly recognised in the success of content-driven films, Panday is quite happy that he is getting roles which can do justice to his talent. He has a bilingual (Telugu/Hindi) film ‘Saaho’ with 'Bahubali'-fame actor Prabhas, a Marathi film 'Bhangarwala', 'Housefull 4' and 'Khallbali: Fun Unlimited' among others.

Director Praveen Fernandes of Panday’s new short film 'Tap Tap' says, “The reason why I wanted Chunky Panday to essay the protagonist of the short film is because his career had ups and downs, which match the film’s protagonist’s career.” Sharing his high enthusiasm Panday says, “I really liked the story of the short film. They have used actual footage of my interviews to make it look realistic. It is the film’s end which would surprise the viewer as it can be interpreted in multiple ways. It is the way the music director gets the right inspiration to shine again in his career which impressed me.”

Like the music director in the short film, who gets his mojo back, it seems Panday’s career is yet again in the phase of good and recognisable films. He signs off by saying, “I know the character of the music director quite well. In times of uncertainty when things do not work, one should have patience and a happy streak in your soul to go on seeking work. If one is bitter about being without work, then one just disappears completely. You have to laugh on yourself. You have to be jovial. Everyone goes through a period of uncertainty. You have to lighten yourself and stay happy.”