Chunky Panday says Parisians recognised him as Bhavana Panday's husband: ‘Her show is a hit in France’

Chunky Panday talks about the growing fanbases of his wife, Bhavana Panday, and daughter, Ananya Panday.

Chunky Panday has been a part of the Indian entertainment industry for close to four decades. In this time, he has had a long journey, playing lead roles, being the comic relief, and now playing villain as well. But another role he plays now is that of a father to one star and husband to another. In a fun chat with HT, Chunky revealed how his daughter Ananya and wife Bhavana's growing stardoms have pleased him no end. (

Chunky Panday with daughter Ananya Panday and wife Bhavana Panday.

Chunky on being called Ananya's dad, Bhavana's husband

When asked how he reacts to different generations who know him for different films, Chunky laughed and said, "Now, they come to me as Ananya Panday's father. It happens so often that someone asks for a picture and when I ask 'how do you know me', they say, 'you are Ananya Panday's dad'. I feel so nice. It's the happiest feeling to be recognised because of your child."

And if that is not all, his wife Bhavana is now a star in her own right, courtesy of the Netflix show Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives. Chunky explains, "In fact, now in Paris, people recognised Bhavana first because of her Netflix show. That show has been dubbed in many languages and it is a hit in France. So, we were in Paris and people were recognising her. They would ask me 'you're the husband, can you click our picture please'. To see people around you flourish is the happiest feeling."

Chunky says that he gets all sorts of fans now - older millennials who remember him as Babban from Tezaab, younger Gen Z fans who saw him as Aakhri Pasta in Housefull and fans of Ananya and Bhavana too. "So between Ananya's papa, Bhavana's husband, Aakhri Pasta and Babban, I am living the dream," he says with a laugh.

Chunky on the daughter Rysa's criticism

While three people from the Panday household are part of the entertainment industry, Chunky says that the one with the highest standards is the fourth - his younger daughter, Rysa. He says, "Rysa's standards are very high. She doesn't like just about anything. It's good because sometimes you need that ISI standard in your life. She's a good filter." The actor admits it is good to have such diverse thought processes under one roof. "We all know think differently. She's more conservative. I'm more adventurous, Ananya is the most level-headed, and Rysa's tastes are just so high," he says.

Chunky will next appear in Griha Laxmi, a web series in which he plays a ruthless don. The series also stars Hina Khan, Rahul Dev, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya and premieres on Epic On on January 16.