Now, people are offering me more negative roles: Chunky
Famous for his comic roles, Chunky Panday is thrilled that the “current generation” knows him as Aakhri Pasta, his character from the Housefull franchise. “I am thankful to (filmmaker) Sajid Nadiadwala for having me in the films, as very few actors are lucky enough to be known for their characters. Amrishji (Puri; late actor) was known as Mogambo (from Mr India; 1987) and late Amjad Khanji was known as Gabbar (from Sholay; 1975), and I am known as Aakhri Pasta. It is an honour that people relate so much with that role,” says Chunky, who will next be seen in Housefull 4.
However, it’s also challenging to switch moods. “To move on and pull off a negative role in Saaho was a huge challenge. I wasn’t convinced that I would be able to do it but the director was,” says the 54-year-old.
The actor, who has done more than 80 films in a career spanning three decades, was taken aback when director Srijit Mukherji wanted him to play the antagonist in Begum Jaan (2017). He says, “Srijit had guts to cast me in a role which was unlike what I did for most of my career. He had seen Aankhen (1993) and Tezaab (1988) and he told me he would make people forget the Chunky Panday they’ve known all these years. He gave me a disturbing character, and my younger daughter didn’t talk to me after she saw the film (laughs).”
Later, Saaho’s director Sujeeth saw Begum Jaan and felt Chunky was the right fit for his film. “Sujeeth narrated the role of Devraaj and I knew it’d work. And I received immense love for the role.”
The character is special to him for more reasons. “I’m a huge Prabhas fan. I remember the first shot with him was a scene where I am strangling him. It was a winning moment for me and very tough for me to do as well. It was wonderful to work with Prabhas, who is a down-to-earth star,” the actor recalls.
Though he has begun to enjoy playing negative roles, the “horrible roles” took a toll on him. He says, “I stayed in the zone of Devraaj for so long... It got intense playing these serious and dark roles. I had to learn how to switch off. Usually, I get comic roles but after Saaho, people are offering me negative roles. I have transformed.”
Srijit (Mukherji ) had guts to cast me in a role which was unlike what I did for most of my career. He told me he would make people forget the Chunky Panday they’ve known all these years.
CHUNKY PANDAY
ACTOR