1. Early Life and Education
Maulik Pancholy was born on January 18, 1974, in Dayton, Ohio. His parents are Gita Jayantilal and Navin Chimanlal Pancholy. During his childhood, his family frequently relocated, living in various states including Ohio, Indiana, and Texas, before ultimately settling in Tampa, Florida. In Tampa, he attended Berkeley Preparatory School for both junior high and high school, graduating in 1991.
Following his high school education, Pancholy pursued higher studies at Northwestern University, where he specialized in Theatre and earned his bachelor's degree in 1995. Furthering his professional training, he later enrolled in the Yale School of Drama, completing his Master of Fine Arts in 2003. Pancholy's family origins trace back to Gujarat, India, with his grandparents residing in Ahmedabad. His multicultural upbringing is reflected in his linguistic abilities; he speaks Gujarati, Spanish, and is proficient in Hindi, a language he notably spoke in the 30 Rock episode "Khonani".
2. Career
Maulik Pancholy's career spans various media, showcasing his versatility as an actor in live-action television, film, stage productions, and voice acting.
2.1. Acting Career Highlights
Pancholy is well-known for his live-action television roles. He portrayed Jonathan, the loyal assistant to Alec Baldwin's character Jack Donaghy, on the award-winning NBC series 30 Rock. He also played Sanjay Patel on Showtime's Weeds and Neal in the first season of NBC's Whitney. His additional television appearances include guest roles in The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Elementary, Dynasty, Friends from College, Tracey Takes On..., The Sopranos, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and The Comeback.
In 2017, Pancholy joined the cast of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Discovery, where he played Dr. Nambue, the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Shenzhou. His character debuted in the pilot episode, "The Vulcan Hello", which premiered on September 24, 2017, on CBS's online service in the United States and on Netflix internationally.
2.2. Stage Career Highlights
Pancholy has an extensive background in theater, with notable performances in New York City and regional productions. His New York stage credits include a 2004 production of Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom at the Culture Project, a 2005 workshop of the play Morbidity & Mortality at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre, and a lead role in India Awaiting at the Samuel Beckett Theatre.
In January 2015, he joined the Broadway cast of Terrence McNally's It's Only a Play, taking over the role from Rupert Grint when the production's run was extended. In 2019, he starred as Tommy in Bess Wohl's Grand Horizons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and later reprised the role in Second Stage's Broadway production at the Helen Hayes Theater.
His regional theater work includes portraying Katherina in an all-male adaptation of The Taming of The Shrew for the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington D.C. in 2016. In 2018, he played Kevin in the world premiere of Ken Urban's The Remains at the Studio Theatre. Other stage appearances include Aunt Dan and Lemon (2003, Off-Broadway), Good for Otto (2018, Off-Broadway), and To My Girls (2022, Off-Broadway).
2.3. Voice Acting Career Highlights
Maulik Pancholy is also a prolific voice actor. He is widely recognized as the voice of Baljeet Tjinder in the popular Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb, a role he reprised in subsequent movies. He voiced a different character, also named Sanjay Patel, in the Nickelodeon animated series Sanjay and Craig, where he held a main voice role across 60 episodes.
His voice work extends to other animated series such as The Wild Thornberrys, The Replacements, Wander Over Yonder, Milo Murphy's Law, American Dad!, Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures, Helpsters, and Mira, Royal Detective. He also provided voice work for the series Q-Force. In films, he lent his voice to characters in Horrible Bosses, Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension, Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur, Treasure Buddies, Super Buddies, and Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe.
3. Literary Works
Maulik Pancholy has expanded his creative endeavors into writing, publishing novels for young readers that delve into significant themes of identity and self-acceptance. His debut novel, The Best at It, published by HarperCollins's Balzer + Bray imprint, tells the story of a gay, Indian American boy navigating his journey of self-discovery.
In 2022, he released his second novel, Nikhil Out Loud. This book explores the experiences of eighth-grade theater students who confront homophobia within their community. Nikhil Out Loud received critical acclaim and was honored with the 2023 Lambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature, highlighting Pancholy's contributions to inclusive storytelling for young audiences.
4. Personal Life
Maulik Pancholy publicly came out as gay in a November 2013 interview with Out magazine. In the interview, he openly discussed his long-term relationship with his partner, chef and caterer Ryan Corvaia, with whom he had been together for nine years at the time.
The couple became engaged in January 2014 at the iconic Taj Mahal in India. Later that year, in September, Pancholy and Corvaia were married. Their prominence as public figures and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights led to their invitation to a state dinner hosted by President Joe Biden for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2023.
4.1. Political and Social Activism
Maulik Pancholy is a vocal and active participant in various political and social advocacy efforts, particularly focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) rights, anti-bullying initiatives, and LGBTQ+ human rights.
4.1.1. Government Advisory Role
On April 25, 2014, Pancholy was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This appointment was part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. During his tenure, he played a key role in advocating for the needs and concerns of the AAPI community. However, on February 25, 2017, Pancholy, along with nine other members of the commission, collectively resigned from their positions. Their resignation was a direct protest against administrative actions taken by then-President Donald Trump, which they asserted went "against the commission's principles."
4.1.2. Non-profit and Human Rights Advocacy
Beyond his advisory role, Pancholy is actively involved with several non-profit organizations dedicated to social justice and human rights. These include 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.
He is notably the Chair and Co-Founder of Act To Change, an anti-bullying nonprofit organization. Pancholy helped launch this campaign while he was still serving on President Obama's Advisory Commission. Following the 2016 United States presidential election, Act To Change transitioned its operations outside of the White House, continuing its mission to address and prevent bullying, especially among AAPI youth. His consistent advocacy highlights his commitment to fostering inclusive and safe environments for marginalized communities.
5. Filmography
Maulik Pancholy's filmography includes a diverse range of roles across various films and television series, as well as stage performances.
5.1. 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 only |
| Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension | Baljeet Tjinder / 2nd Baljeet | Voice only | |
| Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur | Doctor | Voice only | |
| 2012 | Treasure Buddies | Babi | Voice only |
| 2013 | Super Buddies | Curly the Pig | Voice only |
| 2020 | Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe | Baljeet Tjinder | Voice only |
5.2. 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 | 2 episodes; 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 only; Episodes: "Happy Campers", "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yeti" |
| 2000 | Family Law | Clerk | Episode: "Metamorphosis" |
| 2005-2009, 2012 | Weeds | Sanjay Patel | Recurring in seasons 1-5; also in season 8; 26 episodes. Note: Character has the same name as his Sanjay and Craig character. |
| 2005 | The Comeback | Kaveen Kahan | 3 episodes; 2 episodes as Kaveen Kahan. |
| 2006-2011, 2012 | 30 Rock | Jonathan | Recurring in seasons 1-2; Main cast in seasons 3-5; also in season 7; 64 episodes. |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Aziz Gabriel/Dani Hasni | 2 episodes; Episodes: "Stress Position", "World's Fair" |
| The Sopranos | Dr. Ajit Gupte | Episode: "Stage 5" | |
| 2007-2015, 2025-present | Phineas and Ferb | Baljeet Tjinder | Voice only; 210+ episodes. |
| 2009 | The Replacements | Kamil Sattar | Voice only; 1 episode. |
| 2010 | Running Wilde | Himself | Episode: "Mental Flaws"; Played himself as a fake doctor. |
| 2011 | Web Therapy | Kamal Prakash | Recurring in season 1; 4 episodes. |
| 2011-2012 | Whitney | Neal | Main cast in season 1; 22 episodes. |
| 2013-2016 | Sanjay and Craig | Sanjay Patel | Main role, voice only; 60 episodes. Note: Character has the same name as his Weeds character. |
| 2014 | The Good Wife | Dev Jain | Episode: "Parallel Construction, Bitches" |
| 2014 | Wander Over Yonder | TBA | Voice only; 1 episode. |
| 2016 | The Muppets | Photographer | Episode: "Got Silk?" |
| 2017 | Star Trek: Discovery | Dr. Nambue | Main cast member in "The Vulcan Hello" pilot episode. |
| Friends from College | Patel | Episode: "A Night of Surprises" | |
| 2017, 2019 | Milo Murphy's Law | Neal / Baljeet Tjinder | 6 episodes; Episode: "Love Toboggan" for Neal. |
| 2018 | Elementary | Alfonse Kapoor | Episode: "Our Time Is Up" |
| 2019 | Dynasty | Kenneth Desai | Episode: "Filthy Games" |
| 2019, 2020 | American Dad! | Nudist/Improv Actor | Voice only; Episodes: "Stan & Francine & Connie & Ted", "100 Years a Solid Fool" |
| 2019 | The Good Fight | Dev Jain | Episodes: "The One Where Diane Joins the Resistance", "The One Where Kurt Saves Diane" |
| Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures | Jasper | Voice only; Episode: "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!" | |
| Helpsters | Robbie Runner | Episode: "Amazing Alie/Robbie & Rhonda Runner" | |
| 2020-2022 | Mira, Royal Detective | Ranjeet/Gardening Vendor/Uncle | Voice only; 10 episodes. |
| 2021 | Q-Force | N/A | Voice only; 2 Episodes. |
| Only Murders in the Building | Arnav | 3 Episodes. | |
| 2022 | Would I Lie to You? (US) | Himself | Episode: "Show Goat" |
5.3. Stage
| 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 |