# Nirmal Pandey

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).

## Film Festival

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. Due to Covid, the first film festival took place online in the year 2020 and the second in the year 2021, which was conducted from Etawah, Uttar Pradesh. In the year 2022, the third film festival was held in his birthplace Nainital, Uttarakhand. In the year 2023, the fourth festival was organized in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and in the year 2024, the fifth festival was organized in Bhopal,Madhya Pradesh.

## Biography

Nirmal Pandey Smriti Film Festival Co-founder, Filmmaker, Director and Social Activist Ravindra Chauhan has written the biography of actor Nirmal Pandey.

## 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

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Bandit Queen | Vikram Mallah | |
| 1996 | Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin | Aditya | |
| 1996 | Daayraa | The Transvestite | |
| 2008 | Koi Bach Na Payega | | |
| 1997 | Auzaar | Baba | |
| 1998 | Train To Pakistan | Jaggat Singh | |
| 1998 | Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya | Thakur Vijay Singh | |
| 1999 | Jahan Tum Le Chalo | Shantanu Arya | |
| 1999 | Godmother | Jakhra | |
| 1999 | Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain | Dhananjay | |
| 2000 | Hadh Kar Di Aapne | Sanjay | |
| 2000 | Shikari | Veejendra Singh Rawal | |
| 2001 | Dubai | Kishan Batta | Malayalam language film |
| 2001 | One 2 Ka 4 | Krishan Kant Virmani | |
| 2002 | Deewangee | Abhijeet Mehta | |
| 2003 | Aanch | Kirti Thakur | |
| 2003 | Patth | Bhullar | |
| 2005 | Laila | Filmstar | |
| 2008 | Deshdrohi | Nagesh Kulkarni | |
| 2008 | Uladhaal | Tony | |
| 2009 | Mudrank: The Stamp | | |
| 2010 | Kedi | Razzak Bhai | Telugu language film |
| 2010 | Lahore | Anwar Shaikh | Posthumous film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2003–2004 | Hatim | Dajjal |
| 2004 | Son Pari | Zarakh |
| 2005 | Kkavyanjali | Navin Nanda |
| 2005 | Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag | King |
| 2006 | Lucky | Jaggani / Balthazar |
| 2006 | Sssshhh Phir Koi Hai... | Dacait |
| 2008 | Raajkumar Aaryyan | Senapati Bhujang |