# Ranjit Chowdhry
**Ranjit Chowdhry** (19 September 1955 – 15 April 2020) was an Indian actor and writer who worked in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), North American film, and American television, best known for the comic character roles of his 1970s Mumbai films and for writing and starring in [Deepa Mehta](https://www.edgepedia.org/deepa-mehta)'s debut feature *Sam & Me* (1991). He was born in Mumbai and died there on 15 April 2020 at Breach Candy Hospital.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1955, Mumbai; 15 April 2020, Mumbai[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) |
| Film debut | *Khatta Meetha* (1978), directed by Basu Chatterjee[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) |
| Signature work | *Sam & Me* (1991), which he wrote and starred in; it won the Caméra d'Or Special Distinction (ex-aequo) at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival[3](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/sam-and-me/) |
| Award nomination | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 23rd Genie Awards, for playing Rocky in *Bollywood/Hollywood* (2002)[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) |
| Career span | Over 33 films from *Khatta Meetha* (1978) to *Breakaway* (2011)[4](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/) |
| Television | Recurring roles in *Prison Break*, *The Office*, *Girls*, and *Law & Order*[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) |
| Family | Son of Mumbai theater figure Pearl Padamsee; stepson of Alyque Padamsee[5](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/ranjit-chowdhry?ctr=1004&filterBy=r&people=&search=) |
## Early life and family
Chowdhry was born into Mumbai's English-language theater world. His mother, Pearl Padamsee, is described by *The Indian Express* as the cornerstone of modern English theater in Mumbai, and [Alyque Padamsee](https://www.edgepedia.org/alyque-padamsee), an advertising filmmaker and stage director, was his stepfather.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) • [5](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/ranjit-chowdhry?ctr=1004&filterBy=r&people=&search=) He was schooled at [Campion School, Mumbai](https://www.edgepedia.org/campion-school-mumbai).[5](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/ranjit-chowdhry?ctr=1004&filterBy=r&people=&search=) His family memorial site records his childhood nickname, Chottu, and notes that he observed his parents' work in Mumbai theater before taking up acting himself.[6](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/)
## Hindi cinema, 1978 to the early 1980s
**Debut and middle-cinema roles.** Chowdhry made his screen debut in [Basu Chatterjee](https://www.edgepedia.org/basu-chatterjee)'s comedy *[Khatta Meetha](https://www.edgepedia.org/khatta-meetha-1978-film)* (1978), playing Russi Mistry, a Parsi youth obsessed with karate who spends much of the film in a white karate uniform; his mother appeared in the film as his stepmother.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) He followed it with *[Baton Baton Mein](https://www.edgepedia.org/baton-baton-mein)* (1979), again for Chatterjee, playing Sabhi, the violin-playing younger brother of Tina Munim's character; the hit song "Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha" was picturized on him.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) • [4](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/)
In [Hrishikesh Mukherjee](https://www.edgepedia.org/hrishikesh-mukherjee)'s *Khubsoorat* (1980) he played Jagan, the youngest of four brothers, a role *The Indian Express* calls a landmark of his filmography because it gave him more screen time and the film's best lines, delivered in his characteristic matter-of-fact style.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) He appeared with [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) in *[Kaalia](https://www.edgepedia.org/kaalia)* (1981) and in *Chakra* (1981), and later in *Kaante* (2002).[4](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/) • [6](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/) The paper describes his screen persona as the boy next door: the youngest sibling, the heroine's irritating brother, or the hero's friend, played with an impish charm, a sharp almost nasal delivery, and relatable body language that made him noticeable even in small parts.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/)
## North America and Sam & Me
Sources differ on when he left India: Cinemaazi states he moved to the United States in the early 1980s, while *The Indian Express* says he moved to Canada in the 1990s and became a preferred choice of directors of the [Indian diaspora](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-diaspora).[5](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/ranjit-chowdhry?ctr=1004&filterBy=r&people=&search=) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) His North American credits from this period include *Lonely in America* (1990), *Mississippi Masala* (1991) with [Denzel Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/denzel-washington), *The Night We Never Met* (1993), *It Could Happen to You* (1994), *Camilla* (1994), *Girl 6* (1996), *I'm Not Rappaport* (1996), *Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love* (1996), *Fire* (1996), *Such a Long Journey* (1998), *Autumn in New York* (2000), and *Last Holiday* (2006) with [Queen Latifah](https://www.edgepedia.org/queen-latifah).[4](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ranjit_chowdhry) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry)
**Sam & Me.** In 1991 Chowdhry wrote the script for and starred in *Sam & Me*, the first feature film of the Toronto-based Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta, who has said he "was a wonderful actor and writer".[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/interviews/2025/Dec/17/deepa-mehta-curiosity-drives-my-work) The film, shot in Toronto, tells of Nikhil, a young Indian immigrant who cares for Sam, an aging Jewish man abandoned by his children.[9](https://cfe.tiff.net/canadianfilmencyclopedia/content/bios/deepa-mehta) At Cannes it won the Caméra d'Or Special Distinction (ex-aequo) in 1991, and the Television Academy credits the film's success with jump-starting Chowdhry's American film and television career.[3](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/sam-and-me/) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) The Canadian Film Encyclopedia notes that Chowdhry appeared in all of Mehta's feature films except *Earth*.[9](https://cfe.tiff.net/canadianfilmencyclopedia/content/bios/deepa-mehta)
In Mehta's romantic comedy *Bollywood/Hollywood* (2002) he played Rocky, a chauffeur who moonlighted as a drag queen, a performance that earned him a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 23rd [Genie Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/genie-awards).[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/)
## Television
Chowdhry's American television work included *NYPD Blue*, *Cosby*, *Prison Break*, *The Office*, *Girls*, and *Law & Order*.[6](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry) On *The Office* he played Vikram, an overachieving Indian telemarketer briefly hired for the [Michael Scott Paper Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-scott-paper-company), in a couple of episodes of season five.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) • [6](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/) On *Prison Break* he played Dr. Marvin Gudat in two episodes in 2006.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0159529/)
His film career ran from *Khatta Meetha* in 1978 to *Breakaway* in 2011, spanning more than 33 years and more than 33 films.[4](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/)
## Death
Chowdhry died on 15 April 2020 in Mumbai. His sister Raell Padamsee announced the death on Instagram, describing him as "Actor, Writer and Maverick".[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) His age at death is reported inconsistently: IMDb and *The Indian Express* give 64, while the *Hindustan Times* headline gives 65.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0159529/) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/) • [11](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/khubsoorat-actor-ranjit-chowdhry-dies-at-65/story-rky37VXcWwQ1Z1O0QvbOBK.html) He was survived by his wife Malini and his son Avi, a sports journalist in the United States.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0159529/)
## References
1. [Ranjit Chowdhry, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/ranjit-chowdhry)
2. [Ranjit Chowdhry (1955-2020): The boy next door, The Indian Express (16 April 2020)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranjit-chowdhry-1955-2020-the-boy-next-door-6365226/)
3. [Sam and Me, Festival de Cannes](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/sam-and-me/)
4. [Films, ranjitchowdhry.com](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/films/)
5. [Ranjit Chowdhry, Cinemaazi](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/ranjit-chowdhry?ctr=1004&filterBy=r&people=&search=)
6. [About Ranjit, ranjitchowdhry.com](https://ranjitchowdhry.com/)
7. [Ranjit Chowdhry, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ranjit_chowdhry)
8. [Deepa Mehta: 'Curiosity drives my work', Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/hindi/interviews/2025/Dec/17/deepa-mehta-curiosity-drives-my-work)
9. [Deepa Mehta, Canadian Film Encyclopedia, TIFF](https://cfe.tiff.net/canadianfilmencyclopedia/content/bios/deepa-mehta)
10. [Ranjit Chowdhry, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0159529/)
11. [Khubsoorat actor Ranjit Chowdhry dies at 65, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/khubsoorat-actor-ranjit-chowdhry-dies-at-65/story-rky37VXcWwQ1Z1O0QvbOBK.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 1970s to 1990s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license