Ranjit Chowdhry
Encyclopedia
Ranjit Chowdhry is an actor
of India
n descent, with around forty movies and television performances to his credit, besides acting in theatre as well. Varied spellings of his names have been used in credits. He has also appeared in several episodes of The Office
, the US version, as Vikram, a telemarketer who worked with Michael, and is briefly hired for The Michael Scott Paper Company.
For his role as Rocky in Deepa Mehta
's 2002 film Bollywood/Hollywood
, he was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
at the 23rd Genie Awards
His other most noted role, in recent times has been, Queen Latifah
starrer, Last Holiday (2006),.
in a family with theatre background, where he received his early education at Campion School, Mumbai and started his acting career. His father is from a Gujjar
background while his mother Pearl Padamsee
was Jewish. He made his debut with Basu Chatterjee
's Khatta Meetha
, following with he played prominent parts in the Bollywood
comedy classics such as Basu Chatterjee
's Baton Baton Mein
(1979) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee
's,Khubsoorat
(1980). Thereafter, he moved to the USA in the early 1980s. He wrote the screenplay and acted in Sam & Me (directed by Deepa Mehta
) which won an Honorable Mention at Cannes in 1991.
, was well-known theatre personality, drama teacher and actress on stage and film. His stepfather, Alyque Padamsee
is an advertising maven and directs and acts in plays.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n descent, with around forty movies and television performances to his credit, besides acting in theatre as well. Varied spellings of his names have been used in credits. He has also appeared in several episodes of The Office
The Office
The Office is a popular mockumentary/situation comedy TV show that was first made in the UK and has now been re-made in many other countries, with overall viewership in the hundreds of millions worldwide. The original version of The Office was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It...
, the US version, as Vikram, a telemarketer who worked with Michael, and is briefly hired for The Michael Scott Paper Company.
For his role as Rocky in Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta, LLD is a Genie Award-winning Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire , Earth , and Water , among which Earth was submitted by Indian government for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
's 2002 film Bollywood/Hollywood
Bollywood/Hollywood
Bollywood/Hollywood is a 2002 film by Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta. It is lighthearted, humorous, and family-oriented in nature, as opposed to Mehta's other films , which feature very serious themes and focus on social issues.The film pokes fun at traditional Indian stereotypes, as well as at...
, he was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
The Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best supporting Canadian actor.-1st Genie Awards:* Gordon Pinsent, Jack London's Klondike Fever...
at the 23rd Genie Awards
23rd Genie Awards
The 23rd Genie Awards were held in 2003 to honour films released in 2002. The ceremony was hosted by Arsinée Khanjian and Peter Keleghan.-Best Motion Picture:*Ararat, Atom Egoyan and Robert Lantos, producers...
His other most noted role, in recent times has been, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
starrer, Last Holiday (2006),.
Biography
Ranjit was born and brought up in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in a family with theatre background, where he received his early education at Campion School, Mumbai and started his acting career. His father is from a Gujjar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
background while his mother Pearl Padamsee
Pearl Padamsee
Pearl Padamsee was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director and producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in 1950s - 1990s.She also acted a few Hindi and English language films...
was Jewish. He made his debut with Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee is an Indian film director. His films are very similar to those of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Like Mukherjee, he built his plots on middle-class lives.He was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India....
's Khatta Meetha
Khatta Meetha
Khatta Meetha is a 1978 Hindi movie directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film stars Ashok Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami, Pearl Padamsee, David Abraham Cheulkar, Ranjit Chowdhry, Preeti Ganguly, Deven Verma, Pradeep Kumar and Iftekhar. The films music is by Rajesh Roshan...
, following with he played prominent parts in the Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
comedy classics such as Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee
Basu Chatterjee is an Indian film director. His films are very similar to those of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Like Mukherjee, he built his plots on middle-class lives.He was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India....
's Baton Baton Mein
Baton Baton Mein
Baton Baton Mein is a 1979 romantic comedy film produced and directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film stars Amol Palekar and Tina Munim in leading roles...
(1979) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee ) was a famous Indian film director known for a number of films, including Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Aashirwad, Bawarchi, and Namak Haraam.Popularly known as Hrishi-da, he directed 42 films during his career spanning over four decades,...
's,Khubsoorat
Khubsoorat
Khubsoorat is a 1980 Indian Hindi film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, whose direction together with dialogues by Gulzar created a comedy classic. Rekha shined in a first all-out comic role, with her brilliant comic timing....
(1980). Thereafter, he moved to the USA in the early 1980s. He wrote the screenplay and acted in Sam & Me (directed by Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta, LLD is a Genie Award-winning Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire , Earth , and Water , among which Earth was submitted by Indian government for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
) which won an Honorable Mention at Cannes in 1991.
Personal life
His mother, Pearl PadamseePearl Padamsee
Pearl Padamsee was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director and producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in 1950s - 1990s.She also acted a few Hindi and English language films...
, was well-known theatre personality, drama teacher and actress on stage and film. His stepfather, Alyque Padamsee
Alyque Padamsee
Alyque Padamsee is an Indian theater personality and ad film maker. He is probably best known in the English-speaking world for playing Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the film Gandhi...
is an advertising maven and directs and acts in plays.
Filmography
- Khatta MeethaKhatta MeethaKhatta Meetha is a 1978 Hindi movie directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film stars Ashok Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Bindiya Goswami, Pearl Padamsee, David Abraham Cheulkar, Ranjit Chowdhry, Preeti Ganguly, Deven Verma, Pradeep Kumar and Iftekhar. The films music is by Rajesh Roshan...
(1978) - Baton Baton MeinBaton Baton MeinBaton Baton Mein is a 1979 romantic comedy film produced and directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film stars Amol Palekar and Tina Munim in leading roles...
(1979) - KhubsooratKhubsooratKhubsoorat is a 1980 Indian Hindi film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, whose direction together with dialogues by Gulzar created a comedy classic. Rekha shined in a first all-out comic role, with her brilliant comic timing....
(1980) - Lonely in America (1991)
- Mississippi MasalaMississippi MasalaMississippi Masala is a romantic drama film directed by Mira Nair, based upon a screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala, starring Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, and Roshan Seth. Set primarily in rural Mississippi, the film explores interracial romance between African Americans and Indian Americans...
(1991) - Bandit QueenBandit QueenBandit Queen is a 1994 Indian film based upon the life of Phoolan Devi. It was directed by Shekhar Kapur and starred Seema Biswas as the title character. It was produced by Bobby Bedi's Kaleidoscope Entertainment.The Music was Composed by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.- Plot :The film opens in the...
(1994) - Fire (1996)
- Autumn in New YorkAutumn in New York (film)Autumn in New York is a 2000 romantic drama film directed by Joan Chen and starring Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, and Anthony LaPaglia.The movie focuses on Will Keane who falls in love with Charlotte Fielding , a sweet, but terminally ill young woman.-Plot:Will Keane, a 48-year old restaurant owner,...
(2000) - Bollywood/HollywoodBollywood/HollywoodBollywood/Hollywood is a 2002 film by Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta. It is lighthearted, humorous, and family-oriented in nature, as opposed to Mehta's other films , which feature very serious themes and focus on social issues.The film pokes fun at traditional Indian stereotypes, as well as at...
(2002) - KaanteKaanteKaante is a 2002 Bollywood action film directed by Sanjay Gupta and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Lucky Ali, Kumar Gaurav, Namrata Singh Gujral, Rati Agnihotri, Malaika Arora and Isha Koppikar in the lead roles. The film's plot is based on Quentin...
(2002) - Last Holiday (2006)
- American Blend (2007 film)