Chunky Panday On Losing Spotlight To Aamir, Salman, And Ajay in the 90s: ‘I Got Lost’ – News18

Last Updated:November 02, 2024, 17:17 IST

Chunky Panday reflects on his Bollywood journey, from his instant success in 1987 to feeling “lost” amidst rising stars like Aamir Khan and Salman Khan.

When Chunky Panday burst onto the scene in 1987 with his debut in Aag Hi Aag, he quickly rose to fame. That year was a high point, filled with several hit films. However, as the industry welcomed new stars, his career began to “fade out.” Panday candidly admits he felt “lost” as actors like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Govinda, and Ajay Devgn entered the spotlight.

Reflecting on his journey in an interview with SCREEN, Panday shared that he faced numerous rejections early on, with failed auditions for both TV and film. “I remember going to the office of a very famous producer-director, who makes romantic films, and I was wearing a tank top. I was going there after my workout. He saw me and said, ‘I am not making Tarzan, you can go to B Subhash’s office.’ So, I was thrown out of offices like that. But I landed up getting my first film in the toilet of a five-star hotel, after three years of trying!”

As Panday awaits the release of his upcoming Netflix film Vijay 69, he looks back at his rapid rise and subsequent dip. By the mid-90s, Bollywood stars had found distinct niches: Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Sunny Deol were known for action films; Shah Rukh Khan was the face of romance; Aamir Khan starred in heartfelt dramas, while Salman Khan struck gold with director Sooraj Barjatya.

“I got lost,” Panday explained, recalling the challenge of carving a space for himself in the competitive 90s. “I came when the galaxy was exploding– 1986 was Govinda, I came in 87, the next year was Aamir, Salman came in 1989, and Ajay was in 1990. So, they just kept coming, these big superstars. I did get lost, and I enjoyed my honeymoon for exactly a year. That whole year of 1988 was fantastic for me, and then, everything just faded out.”

Panday attributed his career’s trajectory to his own choices, noting that “too many people came in” at the time but that he had “no one to blame but myself.” He reflected, “I was that young blood who always wanted to keep working and was taking on any kind of work, trying to make money. Then, you can’t chart your career very well because your priorities become very different.”

Recognizing the role of luck in his journey, he added, “But then again, there is also a lot of luck involved. If I had to re-live my life, I will still go through the same process because I have also enjoyed my ups and downs. Let me tell you, downs are also great. Nobody is watching you; you are not being judged when you are down– you can do anything.”

Panday’s career experienced a revival in 2010 when he embraced comedy, playing the role of Aakhri Pasta in Housefull. Today, he continues to reprise this beloved character as he films for the fifth installment in the franchise, marking yet another chapter in his long-running career.