1987–1993: Debut and early success Panday debuted his acting career with the 1987 multi-starer film
Aag Hi Aag opposite
Neelam Kothari. Film producer
Pahlaj Nihalani gave Panday his first break in 1987 by signing him up for two films, his debut film and
Paap Ki Duniya. His second successful film was
Paap Ki Duniya with
Sunny Deol and
Neelam Kothari. Subsequently, Panday appeared in many multi-hero films from 1987 to 1993. In 1988, Panday was appreciated for his supporting role in N. Chandra's film
Tezaab featuring
Anil Kapoor and
Madhuri Dixit. Panday played the character of Babban, Munna's (Anil Kapoor) friend. For his performance in
Tezaab, Panday was nominated for the
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Since then he has appeared in many films with mixed success throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Most of his films where he had the leading role did not fare well at the box office. In most films, he was cast in supporting roles to senior actors like
Rajesh Khanna,
Dharmendra,
Jeetendra,
Sunny Deol and
Sanjay Dutt. Some of those hit films with him in second lead, are
Paap Ki Duniya (1988),
Khatron Ke Khiladi (1988),
Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989),
Nakabandi,
Zahreelay (1990),
Rupaye Dus Karod,
Vishwatma (1992),
Lootere (1993) and
Aankhen (1993). His solo hit was
Parda Hai Parda (1992).
1994–2003: Career slump and hiatus The advent of the 1990s saw a new wave of actors like
Aamir Khan,
Salman Khan and
Shah Rukh Khan taking on roles as "romantic heroes", while
Akshay Kumar,
Suniel Shetty and
Ajay Devgan grabbed the "action hero" roles, whereas
Sunny Deol,
Anil Kapoor,
Jackie Shroff,
Govinda continued as more versatile established actors. Panday found it difficult to slot himself in either category. In addition, by the late nineties, solo-hero films were back in vogue instead of the multi-hero films in which Panday was generally cast and Panday was not seen as a marketable hero for solo hero films. Panday grew increasingly tired of playing second fiddle to more prominent actors, but had difficulty being seen as marketable, other than supporting household names. "I was offered hero ke bhai ka (lead actor's brother) roles," he said. "I (told them), 'Boss, not happening.'" Due to a lack of work in Bollywood, he moved to act as hero in Bangladesh films. In 1995, he was offered his first films as the lead hero in Bangladeshi films. He acted in six films between 1995 and 1997 as hero in Bangladesh and all of them were successful. Between 1997 and 2002, he received minimal work in Bollywood, playing supporting roles in low-budget films like
Tirchhi Topiwale,
Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan,
Kaun Rokega Mujhe and
Jwalamukhi.
2003–present: Return to Bollywood Panday returned to Bollywood in 2003 playing minor supporting roles in
Qayamat: City Under Threat,
Elaan,
Don: The Chase Begins Again,
Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost and
Apna Sapna Money Money. In 2005, he played an underworld gangster in the
Ram Gopal Varma film
D – Underworld Badshah. Later, director
Ram Gopal Varma roped him in for
Darwaaza Bandh Rakho, a dark comedy thriller in which he played one of four robbers who hold a family hostage. Between the years of 2006 to 2010, Panday would star in small comedic roles, settling into a reputation of being comic relief. The role that earned him the most success was playing the character of Indo-Italian "Aakhri Pasta" in the 2010 comedy hit
Housefull. His catchphrase from the movie that is often quoted is an accented "I'm-a joking!" His role was so memorable that he reprised the role in the sequels
Housefull 2 in 2012,
Housefull 3 in 2016,
Housefull 4 in 2019 and
Housefull 5 in 2025. In regards to his film selection since returning to acting in Bollywood, Panday has stated that he prefers not to play a hero nowadays because there is less pressure on him if the film fails and it's much more fun playing interesting characters and showing his range. While Panday's second stint in Bollywood has mainly consisted of starring as a character actor, he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into only doing comic roles. "I don't think I am restricting myself to doing only comedy. I am hoping that someone offers me something else. It requires a lot of guts for someone to cast me in something else. I am just hoping that someone sees something else in me other than comedy." This hope was realised with Panday starring as villains in the films
Begum Jaan,
Prassthanam,
Saaho,
Sardar and web series
Abhay. ==Personal life==