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Maulik Pancholy

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Maulik Pancholy
Pancholy at the 2019 Texas Book Festival
Born
Maulik Navin Pancholy

(1974-01-18) January 18, 1974 (age 50)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1998–present
Spouse
Ryan Corvaia
​
(m. 2014)​
AwardsLambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature (2023)
Websitewww.maulikpancholy.com

Maulik Navin Pancholy (/moʊliːk nɑːvɪn pænˈtʃoʊli/, born January 18, 1974) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Jonathan on 30 Rock, Baljeet Tjinder in Phineas and Ferb, Neal in the first season of Whitney, and as characters named Sanjay Patel in both Weeds and Sanjay and Craig. His debut novel, The Best at It (from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins), is about a gay, Indian American boy coming into his own.[1] In 2022, he released Nikhil Out Loud, which tells the story of eighth grade theater kids rising up against homophobia in their community.[2] It won the 2023 Lambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature.[3][4]

Early life

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Pancholy was born in Dayton, Ohio to Gita Jayantilal and Navin Chimanal Pancholy. He moved around while growing up, living in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas before his family settled in Tampa, Florida, where he attended junior high and high school at Berkeley Preparatory School.[5] His family comes from Gujarat, and his grandparents lived in Ahmedabad.[6] He is a 1991 graduate of the Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, and went on to major in Theatre at Northwestern University, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1995.[7] He then attended the Yale School of Drama, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in 2003.[8]

Career

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Pancholy played the character of Jonathan on the award-winning NBC series 30 Rock, Sanjay Patel on Showtime's Weeds and Nickelodeon's Sanjay & Craig, Neal on the first season of NBC's Whitney, and voiced the character of Baljeet Tjinder on Disney's Phineas & Ferb.[9] Additional television work includes guest roles on The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Elementary, Dynasty, Friends from College, Tracey Takes On..., The Sopranos, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and The Comeback.[8]

On February 13, 2017, StarTrek.com stated that Pancholy will play Nambue, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Shenzhou in the upcoming TV series Star Trek: Discovery. His character appeared in the pilot episode, "The Vulcan Hello", which aired on September 24, 2017, and streamed on CBS's online service in America and Netflix abroad.[10]

His stage credits in New York City include the Culture Project's production of Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom in 2004, a workshop of the play Morbidity & Mortality at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre in 2005, and the lead role in India Awaiting at the Samuel Beckett Theatre. In January 2015, he joined the cast of Terrence McNally's It's Only a Play, replacing Rupert Grint when the production's Broadway run was extended.[11] Washington DC stage credits include Katherina in an all-male version of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's "The Taming of The Shrew" in 2016. He starred as 'Kevin' in the world premiere engagement of Ken Urban's The Remains at the Studio Theatre in 2018.

In 2019, Pancholy played 'Tommy' in Bess Wohl's Grand Horizons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.[12] It was announced that he will reprise the role in Second Stage's Broadway production of the play at the Helen Hayes Theater.[13]

Personal life

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Pancholy in 2007

Pancholy came out as gay in a November 2013 interview with Out in which he discussed his partner of nine years, chef and caterer Ryan Corvaia.[14] They were engaged at the Taj Mahal in January 2014 and were married in September that year.[15] Pancholy and Corvaia were among the invited guests at a state dinner President Joe Biden held for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[16]

Pancholy speaks Gujarati and Spanish. He is also proficient in Hindi, which he speaks in the 30 Rock episode "Khonani".[6][17][non-primary source needed]

Political activism

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On April 25, 2014, Pancholy was named to President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.[18][19][20] On February 25, 2017, Pancholy and nine other members of the commission resigned from their positions, citing administrative actions by President Donald Trump that they claimed went "against the commission's principles".[21][22]

Pancholy is active with several non-profit and social policy organizations including Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, the New York City Anti-Violence Project, and OutRight Action International, formerly known as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.[20][19]

Pancholy is the Chair and Co-Founder of the anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change. He helped launch the campaign during his time serving on President Obama's Advisory Commission. Act To Change was transitioned outside of the White House after the 2016 presidential election.[23]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1999 Pokémon Trading Card Game: Trainer Video Adult Card Trader
2005 Hitch Raoul
2006 Friends with Money Flirtatious Waiter
Quarter Life Crisis Neil Desai
Park Babar
2008 27 Dresses Trent
2009 Love N' Dancing Gunmay
2010 Love Ranch Samir Singh
Good Sharma Samir
Tug Carl
See You in September Roger
Raspberry Magic Amrish Patil
2011 Horrible Bosses[24] Gregory Voice only
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension Baljeet Tjinder / 2nd Baljeet
Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur Doctor
2012 Treasure Buddies Babi
2013 Super Buddies Curly the Pig
2020 Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe Baljeet Tjinder

Television

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Year Show Role Notes
1998 USA High Achmed Episode: "Jackson Moves Out"
City Guys Rasheed Episode: "Jamal Got His Gun"
Malibu, CA Haji Episode: "Surf Sale"
Felicity T.A. Episode: "Finally"
1999 Tracey Takes On... Roberto Episode: "Road Rage"
Jack & Jill Barto's Classmate 2 episodes
Charmed Treasure Hunter No. 1 Episode: "That Old Black Magic"
1999,
2000		 The Wild Thornberrys Kazi/Tenzin/Construction Wallah (voice) Episode: "Happy Campers"
"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yeti"
2000 Family Law Clerk Episode: "Metamorphosis"
2005–2009,
2012		 Weeds Sanjay Patel Recurring seasons 1–5; 8
2005 The Comeback Kaveen Kahan 3 episodes
2006–2011,
2012		 30 Rock Jonathan Recurring seasons 1–2; Main seasons 3–5; 7
2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Aziz Gabriel/Dani Hasni Episode: "Stress Position"
"World's Fair"
The Sopranos Dr. Ajit Gupte Episode: "Stage 5"
2008–2015,
2025–present		 Phineas and Ferb Baljeet Tjinder Voice only
2009 The Replacements Kamil Sattar (voice)
2010 Running Wilde Himself Episode: "Mental Flaws"
2011 Web Therapy Kamal Prakash Recurring; season 1
2011–2012 Whitney Neal Main (season 1)
2013–2016 Sanjay and Craig Sanjay Patel Main role, voice only
60 episodes
2014 The Good Wife Dev Jain Episode "Parallel Construction, Bitches"
2016 The Muppets Photographer Episode: "Got Silk?"
2017 Star Trek: Discovery Dr. Nambue Episode: "The Vulcan Hello"
Friends from College Patel Episode: "A Night of Surprises"
2017,
2019		 Milo Murphy's Law Neal
Baljeet Tjinder		 6 episodes
2018 Elementary Alfonse Kapoor Episode: "Our Time Is Up"
2019 Dynasty Kenneth Desai Episode: "Filthy Games"
2019,
2020		 American Dad! Nudist/Improv Actor (voice) Episode: "Stan & Francine & Connie & Ted"
"100 Years a Solid Fool"
2019 The Good Fight Dev Jain Episode: "The One Where Diane Joins the Resistance"
"The One Where Kurt Saves Diane"
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures Jasper (voice) Episode: "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!"
Helpsters Robbie Runner Episode: "Amazing Alie/Robbie & Rhonda Runner"
2020–2022 Mira, Royal Detective Ranjeet/Gardening Vendor/Uncle (voice) 10 episodes
2021 Q-Force N/A 2 Episodes
Only Murders in the Building Arnav 3 Episodes
2022 Would I Lie to You? (US) Himself Episode: "Show Goat"

Stage

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Year Title Role Location Category
2003 Aunt Dan and Lemon Marty Acorn Theatre Off-Broadway
2004 Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom Ruhel Ahmed Lynn Redgrave Theater Off-Broadway
2005 Morbidity & Mortality — Cherry Lane Theatre Off-Broadway
2014–2015 It's Only a Play Frank Finger Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre and Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Broadway
2016 The Taming of the Shrew Katharina Minola Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall Regional
2018 Good for Otto Alex Pershing Square Signature Center Off-Broadway
2018 The Remains Kevin Studio Theatre Regional
2019 Grand Horizons Tommy Hayes Theater Broadway
2022 To My Girls Castor Tony Kiser Theater Off-Broadway

References

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  1. ^ "The Best at It - Maulik Pancholy - Hardcover". HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  2. ^ Pancholy, Maulik (2022). Nikhil out loud (1st ed.). New York. ISBN 978-0-06-309192-4. OCLC 1345290131.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ "2023 Winners". Lambda Literary. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Schaub, Michael (June 12, 2023). "2023 Lambda Literary Award Winners Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  5. ^ "Angry Reader of the Week: Maulik Pancholy". Angry Asian Man. October 10, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Dayal, Priyanka. "Rock Star: A Conversation with Maulik Pancholy". ABCD Lady. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Maulik Pancholy - Biography". The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  8. ^ a b Gregory Kirschling (May 11, 2007). "Maulik Pancholy: You Might Know Me From...The 33-year-old". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 13, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  9. ^ "Maulik Pancholy". IMDb. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Schwindt, Oriana (February 13, 2017). "'Star Trek: Discovery' Adds Three More Starfleet Members". Variety. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017
  11. ^ Gordon, David."It's Only a Play's New Stars Martin Short, Katie Finneran, and Maulik Pancholy Meet the Press" theatermania.com, January 13, 2015
  12. ^ BWW News Desk. "Williamstown Theatre Festival Announces Additional Casting; Ellen Barkin, Thomas Sadoski, and More". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  13. ^ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2019). "Michael Urie, Thomas Sadoski, Maulik Pancholy Among Cast Of Broadway-Bound 'Grand Horizons'". Deadline. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  14. ^ "Out100: Maulik Pancholy". Out Magazine. November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  15. ^ Kennedy, Ed (September 28, 2014). "Maulik Pancholy Woke Up a Married Man". The Backlot. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  16. ^ House, The White (June 22, 2023). "White House Releases State Dinner Guest List". The White House. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  17. ^ Pancholy, Maulik (August 4, 2011). "That Khonani brings it out of me". Retrieved April 29, 2015 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Garcia, Michelle (April 27, 2014). "Out Actor Maulik Pancholy Named to White House Commission". The Advocate. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  19. ^ a b Withers, James (April 27, 2014). "Out actor Maulik Pancholy appointed to White House advisory commission". Gay Star News. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  20. ^ a b "President Obama Announces his Intent to Appoint Fourteen Individuals to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders" (Press release). The White House. April 24, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  21. ^ Lee, Traci G. (February 16, 2017). "10 Resign from President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders". NBC News. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  22. '^ Hughes, William (February 18, 2017). "30 Rocks Maulik Pancholy just quit a presidential commission because of Donald Trump". The A.V. Club. Onion, Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  23. ^ "Act to Change |". Act to Change. December 5, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  24. ^ Sabrina Siddiqui (November 11, 2010). "30 Rock & Weeds Star on Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey and Shattering Stereotypes". Divanee. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
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