Faded into oblivion but kept my spirits high: Chunky Panday on 35 years of his journey as an actor

“If I had to relive my life, I’d do the exact same things,” says Chunky Panday, looking back at his 35-year-long career in films. The actor, who made his debut with Aag Hi Aag (1987), says he has no regrets, and adds, “I’ve enjoyed the ups, downs, laughter, pain, excitement and adventure. It has been a game of hits and misses, like a casino. I knew that one day, something will come along.”

What has helped him tackle the brickbats is his happy-go-lucky attitude. “I like to make people happy. I was watching Mera Naam Joker (1970) the other day and realised I should call myself a happy joker!” quips Panday, who turns 59 today. And this one will be a working birthday for the actor. “I had earlier planned to take the girls somewhere and have a destination birthday. But currently, Ananya (daughter, actor), Bhavana (wife) and I are busy shooting. So, we’ll have to postpone the birthday celebration. It’s great to be working on my birthday. I’ve had many working birthdays,” he says.

Ask what his mantra would be going forward, and Panday says, “I treat life as a game of cricket. The idea is to stay at the crease and bat. I’ve seen all shades of life as a hero. I faded into oblivion and came back. But I have always kept my head and spirits high. All actors should be prepared for this. The bigger ones go through it in a bigger way. This happens to every one of us. In our industry, fortunes can change overnight.”

A few months back, the actor lost his mother, Dr Snehlata Panday. “My mother led a nice life which had to be celebrated. She started a conversation around obesity and slimming in the country and she was an acclaimed doctor,” he says. Ask if the media reportage on her funeral bothered him and he tells us, “I would like to believe that the media had come for her so that she can be remembered. It didn’t bother me. It’s a loss and it’s normal. It’s a part of life. If you’re an actor or a public figure, you’ll have to be prepared for it and take it to your stride.”