Bollywood actor Chunky Panday recently shared a hilarious and rather unusual story about how he got his first big break in films, after meeting veteran producer Pahlaj Nihalani in a bathroom. Yes, you read that right.
Appearing as a guest on Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle, alongside his longtime friend Govinda, Chunky opened up about his early struggles and how fate stepped in at the most unexpected moment.
"I wanted to become an actor, but there was no actor in my family. My maternal uncle did character roles, but I struggled for 4-5 years for my first movie," he revealed. "If I have been able to come into films, it is because of him [Govinda]," he added, and credited the actor for his early support.
Chunky then narrated the quirky encounter that changed his life. "I happened to bump into Pahlaj Nihalani in a bathroom. My career started there. Pahlaj had made Ilzaam with Govinda, which was a superhit. But when I met him, I didn't know who he was as there was no social media back then. We were both in the bathroom, and my drawstring (naada) was in a knot. I needed help opening it, and he helped me open it. That's when I asked what he does, and he said he was a producer named Pahlaj Nihalani. I was taken aback," he stated.
He continued, "I introduced myself saying my name is Chunky Panday, and he said, 'What a strange name.' I told him I wanted to be in films, and he asked me to come to his house the next day. The very next day, I bagged my first role."
Chunky Panday made his Bollywood debut in 1987 with Aag Hi Aag and soon rose to fame with films like Tezaab and Aankhen. Known for his comic timing and sense of humour, he became one of the most popular actors of the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a brief lull, he reinvented himself with memorable supporting and villainous roles in films like Housefull, Begum Jaan, and Saaho.
