Nirmal Pandey

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.^[1][3]

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.^[3]

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.^[4][5] 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.^[6]

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,^[7] where he conducted theatre workshops.^[8]

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).^[9]

Filmmaker, Theatre, Film Director and Social Activist Ravindra Chauhan alias Ravida authored the biography of actor Nirmal Pandey.

In May 2020, Film and TV director Anil Dubey and Filmmaker, Theatre, Film Director, Writer and Social Activist Ravindra Chauhan alias Ravida established the Nirmal Pandey Smriti Nyas and Film Festival in the memory of Pandey. This film festival is organized annually on Pandey's birthday, 10 August. Due to COVID-19 lockdown in India, the first film festival was held online 2020 in Etawah Uttar Pradesh and the second 2021 event was held in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh. In 2022, the third film festival was held Pandey's birthplace Nainital, Uttarakhand. In 2023, the fourth festival was organized in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. In 2024, the fifth festival was organized in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. In 2025, the six festival was organized in Cuttack, Orissa. In 2026 the seven film Festival Raipur Chhattisgarh.

Nirmal Pandey died at the age of 47 on 18 February 2010, from a heart attack in Mumbai.^[10]