Chunky Panday: I like to look different in every film

From the flamboyant energy of Aag Hi Aag and the street-smart charm he brought to Tezaab, to the eccentric and unforgettable Aakhri Pasta in the Housefull series, Chunky Panday has built a career on reinvention.

Decades into the industry, the actor continues to surprise audiences by constantly reshaping his on-screen persona.Over the years, he has not shied away from experimenting with his look or the kind of characters he portrays. His rugged and menacing turn in Begum Jaan showcased a completely different side of him, proving that beneath the comic timing lies an actor capable of slipping into darker, more layered roles.For Chunky, the transformation begins even before the camera starts rolling. “More than the roles themselves, I enjoy looking different in every film,” he says with a smile. “I get bored of seeing the same version of myself, so I like to appear differently on screen. Once the look is right, half the job is done,” he adds.The actor describes his approach to a new project as one of openness and curiosity. Instead of arriving on set with rigid ideas about how a character should be played, he prefers to start with a blank slate.

“When I meet a director, I tell them to consider me completely open. I don’t come in overprepared. I like to absorb what the director wants and also react to what my co-actors bring to the scene,” he explains.While he does spend time working on the physical aspects of a character— whether it’s the hairstyle, wardrobe, or body language — he believes the real magic happens spontaneously during filming. “There is some homework that goes into how I look, but the rest unfolds on set. I live for those moments in front of the camera, when everything comes together naturally,” he shares.