Chunky Pandey, who rose to fame with his role in David Dhawan’s ‘Aankhen’, experienced significant career challenges by the late 1990s. Struggling to secure leading roles, he shifted to character roles. During this difficult time, he humorously compared his situation to Amitabh Bachchan’s, who was on a break from films, saying, “He wasn’t working, I wasn’t getting work.” In a later interview, Chunky explained the context behind this remark.Clarifying the JokeTalking to Lehren, Chunky explained that he frequently makes jokes about other actors and decided to make one about himself as well. He expressed his admiration for Amitabh and hoped that the megastar would not take offense, clarifying that the joke was intended to reflect on his own situation rather than target Amitabh.Challenges in Choosing the Right RolesChunky clarified that his challenge was not a total lack of work offers but the quality of roles available to him. He mentioned that although he receives around two film offers daily, they are not the types of projects he wishes to take on. Many of these are low-budget, C-grade films with unknown producers and directors, often produced under difficult conditions and sometimes left incomplete. Having already worked on several such films, he is determined not to repeat that experience.Choosing Not to WorkIn summary, Chunky explained that he is not working by choice, which places him in a similar situation to Amitabh Bachchan.Addressing Misconceptions About His Acting SkillsDuring the interview, Pandey confronted the misconception that he lacked acting talent, a criticism he faced early in his career. He pointed out that no one ever labeled him a non-actor, although he admitted to having to do as many as 32 retakes and experiencing some confusion on set. He emphasized that while no one ever said he was bad in their films, many described his performances as average, good, improving, or better.Reflecting on the Limitations of Hero Roles vs. Character RolesReflecting on his career, Chunky expressed that playing a conventional hero often offers limited scope because such roles typically follow a fixed formula, with the hero always portrayed as good and fighting for justice or family. He believes that character roles, like the ones he played in ‘Tezaab’ and ‘Lootere’, provide more variety and creative freedom, allowing an actor to explore different aspects of their craft.
