Daya’s acting career was not going well, so he decided to become the assistant of director Gian Sahai. He thought this way he could stay relevant to the industry. He subsequently starred in several theater productions such as “Mareez”, “Popkorn With Parsai” and “A Suitable Bride”.
television
While working with Gyan Sahay, Daya got his first acting assignment in the TV show Lene Ke Dene aired on Doordarshan in 1991. It’s a long scene that he performed with actor Ravi Baswani. Baswani plays the lead role and Daya plays a supporting role, a postman who goes to deliver a letter to Baswani. In the scene, Baswani made the postman sit under that tree and asked him to read it to him. In an interview, he also talked about the same thing,
In 1991, I faced the camera for the first time at Filmistan Studios. Actors didn’t have a lot of work at that time. Films and Doordarshan are the only two mediums. I was a struggling actor and was also assisting TV director and cameraman Gyan Sahay in a DD show called Lene Ke Dene… As soon as a role came up, I gathered the strength to approach Gyan Sahay. There was no audition trend at that time. That’s when the director has faith and confidence in the actor. Sahaj knew that I also loved acting. That’s how I was chosen. I couldn’t sleep the night before or after the shoot. I remember when the episode was going to air, I called everyone in the village to come and watch it. Came here at eight o’clock in the morning. Being on screen is a different kind of happiness. “
Later, he played small roles in various television shows such as Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai and DD National’s Tehkikaat (1994). In 1997, he played the leader of the Hotel Alliance in episode 43 of the comedy television show Ghar Jamai and Robert in episode 45. In 1998, he appeared in Zee TV’s horror series Woh as Chandu Shiva’s friend, SET’s Saaya as Assistant Editor Pandey, and SET’s Family No.1 as Pandey. Thereafter, he appeared in several TV shows such as Yeh Duniya Hai Rangeen (1999) as security guard Yadav, Shubh Mangal Savadhan (2002) and Sahara One’s Kituu Sabb Jaantii Hai (2007) Jogi. He became a household name in 2008 for playing the lead role of Shanidev in the Indian mythological drama Mahima Shani Dev Ki, aired on Imagine TV. In 2012, Daya was nominated for the Producers Guild Film Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Mahima Shanidev Ki.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Shanidev in Imagine TV’s Indian mythology TV show Mahima Shani Dev Ki (2008)
Daya has been playing the recurring role of Inspector Chalu Pandey in Sony SAB’s longest running television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah since 2010. He is also the show’s creative consultant. In 2018, he was nominated for the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah”.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Inspector Chalu Pandey in Sony SAB’s TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah
From 2013 to 2014, he played the role of Surjeet Singh in StarPlus’ soap opera Ek Veer Ki Ardaas…Veera. In 2015, he played the role of Bilasi Poddar, the uncle of the villain Vibhor in &TV soap opera Badii Devrani. He was nominated for the Indian Television Award for Best Negative Actor for his performance in Badii Devrani.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Bilasi Poddar in &TV soap opera Badii Devrani
Later, he appeared in various television shows such as Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev (2014), Suryaputra Karn (2015) and Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey (2022). In 2017, he played the legendary philanthropist, warrior and advisor of Maharana Pratap in the TV series “Bhamashah”. The financial support he provided enabled Maharaja Pratap to restore his army and regain most of his lost territory.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Bhamashah (2017)
In 2022, he started playing the role of ShyamLal Maurya in Sony SAB’s lifestyle comedy TV series Sab Satrangi. In 2023, he started playing the role of narrator Pandit Radheshhyam in Shemaroo TV’s Tulsidham Ke Laddu Gopal.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Pandit Radheshhyam in the TV show Tulsidham Ke Laddu Gopal (2023)
Movie
Hindi
Daya Shankar Pandey made her Bollywood debut with the thriller Pehla Nasha (1993).
He plays a small role in the film along with Paresh Rawal. However, in the final cut, all of his scenes were cut. In an interview, talking about his first breakthrough, he said:
My first break in the film industry was in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s film Pehla Nasha. Ashutosh Gowarikar and we often met at Ravi Vaswani’s house. He offered me a small role in the film Pehla Nasha, so I was excited to have a scene with Paresh Rawal. But when I went to see the movie in the theater after it came out, I discovered that all my scenes had been cut. Even in the scenes with Paresh Rawal, only my dialogues could be heard. I feel very sad. “
He then got a chance to act in Sai Paranjpye’s romantic film Papeeha (1993) and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Baazi (1995), starring Aamir Khan. Daya’s performance in “Baaz” was highly appreciated by Aamir, so Daya appeared in another Aamir Khan-starring film “Ghulam” (1998). Aamir Khan also held talks with director Ram Gopal Varma to name Daya for his character Pakya in the film Rangela (1995). Although Daya was initially confirmed for the role, he was quickly replaced. In an interview, speaking about the disappointing development, he said:
Who do I think would interrupt Aamir Khan? Those were the days I was glad my struggle was over. But, in the film industry, nothing is decided until the movie is released. The same thing happened to me. Even when everything was finalized, I still didn’t get the part. “
He played a rapist in the action film The Gambler (1995).
Collage of old photos of Daya Shankar Pandey from her early days as an actor
In 2001, he rose to prominence by starring in the epic musical sports film “Lagaan”, in which he played Seamer, the man who owned the largest piece of land.
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Goli in the epic musical sports film Lagaan (2001)
After small roles as a taxi driver in Aankhen (2002), a school teacher in Makdee (2002) and Hari in Se Aaya Mera Dost (2003), Daya He plays the role of Sub-Inspector Mangni Ram (“Gangaajal”) in the action crime drama film “Gangaajal”. 2003).
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Sub-Inspector Mangni Ram in the action crime drama Gangaajal (2003)
He was appreciated for his role as Mela Ram in Swades (2004) and Daya Shankar in Apaharan (2005).
In 2004, he starred in the Indian-American co-production “American Dawn”, playing the role of Ashok.
In 2019, he played Hari Ram Pandey in Manish Vatssalya’s Hindi crime film Scots. This award-winning Indian-British film has a place among the contenders in the 2020 Oscars in the Best Feature Film category. The film tells the story of a father frustrated by the legal system’s failure to deliver justice to his sexual assault victims. As the story unfolds, he becomes a ruthless avenger determined to take matters into his own hands.
Other notable films he has directed include Ek Ajnabee (2005), Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008), Raajneeti (2010), Chakravyuh (2012), Haseena Parkar (2017 ), “Haseen Dillruba” (2021) and “Satyameva Jayate 2” (2021). In 2024, he starred in the biographical film “Main Atal Hoon”, playing the role of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, an Indian politician who firmly believes in holistic humanism. He led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJS), which later became the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Daya Shankar Pandey plays Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in the biopic Main Atal Hoon (2024)
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education