Chunky Panday Recalls How He Shielded Ananya From His Struggles: ‘Went Door To Door, I Was Flat Broke’
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Actor Ananya Panday and her father Chunky Panday opened up about his career struggles during a candid chat. Chunky revealed how he navigated a professional low point in the ’90s, going as far as working in Bangladesh to support his family.
Chunky Panday recalls his career struggles, revealing how he was flat broke and had to work in Bangladesh to make ends meet.
Actor Ananya Panday has often been vocal about the challenges of living under the “star kid” label, revealing that her journey into Bollywood hasn’t been without its own set of struggles. Recently, in a heartfelt conversation on the We Are Yuvaa YouTube channel, she opened up about witnessing her father, actor Chunky Panday, face a professional low point during her childhood. Chunky himself reflected on this tough phase, revealing why he chose to keep Ananya away from his film sets at the time.
Chunky shared that after a successful career in the 1980s and early 1990s, opportunities for lead roles dwindled, forcing him to pivot to character roles and eventually seek work in Bangladesh. “Why you never came on set was because when your mum and I got married, I was in that low phase. I had just returned from Bangladesh and was trying to get work for myself. I never got into that thing of calling you on the set or mom on the set, and it just stayed that way,” he revealed.
In the ’90s, after the success of Aankhen, the offers slowed down significantly. Chunky admitted he felt like he had reached the end of his acting career. He described the dry spell, saying, “The end means musical chairs were happening and when the music stops, you don’t have a seat. After Aankhen, the only film I got was Teesra Kaun, and it completely dried up after that. So, I landed up going to Bangladesh and doing movies there. Luckily, those worked. I kind of made that my home for four-five years.”
The experience was humbling and “scary,” as Chunky had to explore alternative means of survival, from starting an events company to dealing in property. “I didn’t stop working. I kept my ego inside and said that I need to survive. So, I learned a lot during this process. I have been flat broke,” he candidly admitted, adding that he never relied on his parents or even let his wife fully understand the extent of his struggles.
Ananya also shared her perspective on her father’s career challenges, stating, “My dad was having a low phase when I was born. He was a huge actor in the ’80s and ’90s, but after that, he started doing different kinds of work. There were long periods of time when he wasn’t working. I would see him sitting at home… People weren’t standing outside our house to get a glimpse of him, I didn’t grow up seeing that.”
Despite these challenges, Chunky Panday has had a multifaceted and enduring career. After achieving stardom in the 1980s with hits like Tezaab and Aankhen, he reinvented himself as a character actor in the 2000s, earning widespread acclaim for his comic timing in films such as Housefull. His ability to adapt and stay relevant in an ever-changing industry reflects his resilience and talent, cementing his legacy in Indian cinema.
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