Once you sign a film, you're a Bollywood insider: Chunky Pandey

Chunky Pandey has been in the movie business for almost 40 years now. Once billed among the biggest stars, his recent roles have swayed between the comedic (Housefull 1-4) and the villainous (Prasthanam, Saaho).In the latest edition of Time Pass, a series of webinars organised by The New Indian Express group, the actor spoke in length with senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai about his career, his imminent OTT debut, and the much-discussed insider-outsider debate. Chunky began by noting that he was probably in the most exciting stage of his career. "I started my innings by playing the good guy, but after some time, I wasn't getting interesting roles and felt I was being typecast. So, I moved to the Bangladeshi film industry where I delivered several hits and became a household name," he reminisced.Comedies brought him back to success in Bollywood: his Indo-Italian caricature ‘Akhri Pasta’ became a draw in the long-running Housefull franchise."In the early 2000s, when my wife wanted me to return to my Hindi roots, I knew that I would have been forgotten. So, I was keen on doing comical roles and the decision did pay off. I had a great second run. Now again, after a decade, getting into the digital space that doesn't limit me as an actor excites me. It's the golden age of entertainment, and it's continuously booming. I can't wait to plunge in," he said.