Ranjit Chowdhry

Ranjit Chowdhry (September 19, 1955 – April 15, 2020) was an Indian actor, known for his roles in television, movies, and theatre. He appeared in two episodes of The Office, as Vikram, a telemarketer who worked with Michael, and was briefly hired for The Michael Scotts’ 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 was in Last Holiday (2006), starring Queen Latifah.

Ranjit was born and raised in Mumbai in a family with a 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 of Jewish descent on her mother's side. He made his film debut in Basu Chatterjee's Khatta Meetha, following which he played prominent parts in Bollywood comedy classics such as Basu Chatterjee's Baton Baton Mein (1979) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Khubsoorat (1980). Thereafter, he moved to the United States 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.

He was a guest star in Law and Order SVU, and had appeared in two seasons of The Office and Prison Break.

Doctor Sanjay Gupta, who worked with Chowdhry on the Kaante, tweeted that his performances were a joy and "KHATTA MEETHA is my favourite."

His mother, Pearl Padamsee, was a well-known theatre personality, drama teacher and actress on stage and film. His stepfather, Alyque Padamsee, was a theatre actor and director who also headed an advertising company in Mumbai.

Chowdhry was admitted into Breach Candy Hospital, in Mumbai, on April 14, 2020 for a ruptured ulcer in the intestine, and underwent emergency surgery. He died on April 15, 2020. He was in Mumbai for a dental procedure, and was delayed there due to the spread of COVID-19.