Maulik Navin Pancholy (, born January 18, 1974) is an American actor and author. 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. It was named a 2020 Stonewall Honor Book by the American Library Association. In 2022, he released Nikhil Out Loud, which tells the story of eighth grade theater kids rising up against homophobia in their community. It won the 2023 Lambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature.
Early life and education Pancholy was born in Dayton, Ohio, to Gujarati parents Gita Jayantilal and Navin Chimanlal 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. His family comes from Gujarat, and his grandparents lived in Ahmedabad. He is a 1991 graduate of the Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, and went on to major in theater at Northwestern University, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1995. He then attended the Yale School of Drama, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in 2003.
Career 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. 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.
On February 13, 2017, StarTrek.com stated that Pancholy would 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.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
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.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 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. It was announced that he would reprise the role in Second Stage's Broadway production of the play at the Helen Hayes Theater.
Personal life
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. They were engaged at the Taj Mahal in January 2014 and were married in September that year. Pancholy and Corvaia were among the invited guests at a state dinner President Joe Biden held for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pancholy speaks English, Gujarati, and Spanish. He is also proficient in Hindi, which he speaks in the 30 Rock episode "Khonani".
Political activism 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. 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".
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.
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.
Filmography
Film 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 Gregory Voice onlyPhineas 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 Pig2020Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe Baljeet Tjinder 2026 The Debut Eli Completed TBA Untitled Third Phineas and Ferb Movie Baljeet Tjinder Voice only
Television 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) Episodes: "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 2006–2011,2012–2013 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" 2007–2015,2025–present Phineas and Ferb Baljeet Tjinder (voice) 130 episodes 2009 The Replacements Kamil Sattar (voice)Episode: "Snide and Prejudice" 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 (voice) Main role, 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 NealBaljeet 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) Episodes: "Stan & Francine & Connie & Ted", "100 Years a Solid Fool" 2019 The Good Fight Dev Jain 2 episodes Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures Jasper (voice) Episode: "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!" 2019–2022 Helpsters Robbie Runner 2 episodes 2020–2022 Mira, Royal Detective Ranjeet/Gardening Vendor/Uncle (voice) 12 episodes 2021 Q-Force (voice) 2 episodes Only Murders in the Building Arnav 3 episodes 2022 Would I Lie to You? (US) Himself Episode: "Show Goat" 2025 Goldie Petey's Dad (voice)Episode: "Tall Teeny/Pilroy" Leverage: Redemption Neal Trividi Episode: "The Swipe Right Job" 2026 Hey A.J.! (voice)6 episodes Max & the Midknights Timmy (voice)2 episodes
Video games Year Game Role Notes2011Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd DimensionBaljeet Tjinder / 2nd Baljeet2013Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool StuffBaljeet Tjinder
Stage Year Title Role Location Category 2003Aunt Dan and Lemon Marty Acorn Theatre Off-Broadway 2004 Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom Ruhel AhmedLynn 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 2016The Taming of the Shrew Katharina Minola Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall Regional 2018Good for Otto Alex Pershing Square Signature Center Off-Broadway The Remains Kevin Studio Theatre Regional 2019 Grand Horizons Tommy Hayes Theater Broadway 2022 To My Girls Castor Tony Kiser Theater Off-Broadway 2025 Right Before I Go Performer The Tank Off-Off-Broadway 2026 Schmigadoon! Reverend Howard Layton / Leprechaun Nederlander Theatre Broadway
References
External links
Out of the Weeds, Nirali Magazine, December 2006 Television Without Pity- The Maulik Pancholy Interview