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Nirmal Pandey
Born	Rajkumar Pandey 10 August 1962 Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Died	18 February 2010 (aged 47) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actor
Spouse(s)	Kausar Munir (1997–2000) Archana Sharma (2005–2010)

Nirmal Pandey (10 August 1962 – 18 February 2010) was an Indian Bollywood actor who was known for his roles of Vikram Mallah in Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen (1994), and Dajjal in television series Hatim. He portrayed a transvestite in Daayraa (1996) for which he won a Best Actor Valenti award in France. He also appeared in Train To Pakistan (1998) and Godmother (1999). He played the role of Kishan Bhatta in Malayalam language film Dubai (2001).

His last film, Lahore, was released on 19 March 2010, a month after his death.

Early life and education

Born on 10 August 1962 in a Kumaoni family living in Nainital, then in Uttar Pradesh, Nirmal Pandey was educated at Almora and Nainital. He graduated from the National School of Drama, Delhi.

Career

After leaving the National School of Drama he moved to London, with a theater group, Tara, performing plays like Heer Ranjha and Antigone, and acting in around 125 plays.

After doing two small roles, he was first noticed in Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen (1994). He received positive reviews for films like Amol Palekar's Daayra (Square Circle) (1996), Train To Pakistan (1998), Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin and Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain. He acted in movies like Laila, Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, One 2 ka 4 and Shikari and in several television serials, including Hatim, and Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag (2005).

In addition to being an actor, he was a singer, and released the album Jazba in 1999.

In 2002, he directed Andhayug, a Hindi play written by noted playwright Dharamvir Bharati, which follows the 18 days following the Mahabharata war. It had a cast of 70 actors, all of whom belonged to Sanvedna, a theatre group started by him in 1994.

Pandey had an acting institute, Fresh Talent Academy, in Ghaziabad, where he conducted theatre workshops.

Awards and recognition

He holds an unusual record for winning a Best Actor award at the 1997 France's Valenciennes Film Festival for his portrayal of a transvestite in Amol Palekar's Daayraa (1996). He shared the Best Actor award with the female lead, Sonali Kulkarni, at the Valenciennes Film Festival (France, 1997).

In the memory of Nirmal Pandey, Nirmal Pandey Smriti Nyas and Film Festival was established by film and TV director Anil Dubey and film producer, director and social activist Ravindra Chauhan in May 2020. This film festival is organized on Pandey's birthday, 10 August.

Death

Nirmal Pandey died at the age of 47 on 18 February 2010, from a heart attack in Mumbai about six months before his 48th birthday.

Filmography

Films

Television

References

1. ^ "Actor Nirmal Pandey dead". Indian Express. 19 February 2010. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
2. ^ Woh kaun? Nirmal Pandey Indian Express, 23 September 2002.
3. Also showing – The Square Circle Amol Palekar The Independent, 12 June 1997.
4. "Tale with a telling effect" The Hindu, 10 August 2000.
5. "Actor Nirmal Pandey releases his debut album Jazba". India Today.
6. Coming full circle Indian Express, 26 April 2002.
7. "Nagpur theatre will rise like Phoenix" The Times of India, Arunav Sinha , TNN, 6 May 2007.
8. Lack of funds, infrastructure rob theatre: Nirmal Pandey Archived 10 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine The Hindu, 27 May 2009.
9. "'Bandit Queen' star Nirmal Pandey dead". The Times of India. 19 February 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
10. "Nirmal Pandey wins best actress award for his portrayal of transvestite in 'Daayra'". India Today. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

External links

• Nirmal Pandey at IMDb
• Filmography - Bollywood Hungama

• 1962 births
• 2010 deaths
• Indian male film actors
• Indian male stage actors
• Indian male television actors
• Male actors in Hindi cinema
• National School of Drama alumni
• Male actors from Mumbai
• People from Nainital
• Male actors from Uttarakhand
• 20th-century Indian male actors
• 21st-century Indian male actors
• Male actors in Telugu cinema