How Chunky Panday got his first film role after chance encounter at urinal with Pahlaj Nihalani: 'Couldn't tie my naada'

Chunky Panday recalled how a chance encounter with film producer Pahlaj Nihalani got him his first film role.

Chunky Panday recalled how his inability to tie a knot indirectly got him his first film role. Chunky said that he was in the bathroom of a hotel, struggling to tie his 'naada' at the urinal, when film producer Pahlaj Nihalani offered to help him out.

Chunky Panday with his wife Bhavana.

Chunky Panday narrated the story during an appearance on comedian-actor Cyrus Broacha's talk show on YouTube.

He said, "I have a problem, I can tie a knot but I can't open it." He recalled how he'd gone for a wedding one day, wearing a 'churidaar' with a 'naada'. He said, "I had a few extra beers, so I ran to the washroom to relieve myself and I couldn't open my naada. And I was screaming, 'Koi mujhe help karo (Somebody help me)!' They thought I was really funny." He said that somebody actually came forward to help him out, and it was none other than Pahlaj Nihalani.

He continued, "Can you believe it? We got talking, and there was no internet in those days. So we start having this conversation, and he asked me 'What do you do?' I said, 'I'm a model, I'm trying for films. Sir, what do you do?'. He said, 'I just made a film with Govinda called Ilzaam'. I nearly fainted. I passed out. I said, 'You're Pahlaj Nihalani! Such a pleasure meeting you'. Without washing my hands I was trying to shake his hand."

Chunky said that a couple of days later, he ran into Pahlaj at a party, where they laughed about the encounter. Pahlaj called him over to his office the next day. "I went to meet him, and I thought it was one of those party conversations, but he actually signed me for my first film. So this is what I keep telling people, you never know when it happens.

Pahlaj Nihalani served as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, in a controversial tenure that lasted from 2015 to 2017.