Gavin Packard

QAMYAB – THE FORGOTTEN GEMS OF BOLLYWOOD

Qamyab is our humble tribute to all those lesser-known actors, one hit wonders and junior artists who we see umpteen times but don’t know about; beyond their faces. These actors have been an integral part of Bollywood but didn’t get their due. This series is our sincere attempt to put a name to these faces, familiarize them to our readers and celebrate their achievements in life – however big or small.

It is our belief that every artist contributes in his/her own way to the cinema’s success and that is why we remember a Ramlal or Sambha as much as Jai-Veeru from Sholay (1975). Qamyab will explore the unknown lives of such actors and artists as we believe even these forgotten gems of Bollywood deserve their due recognition today.

Most of us consider Gavin Packard to be an expatriate foreigner like Bob Christo working in Indian films. But unlike Bob, Gavin was an Indian with Irish roots. Post-independence, most British returned back to their homeland except a handful who had fallen in love with this beautiful country. One of them was John Packard, an Irish American who was once part of U.S. Army posted in Bangalore, decided to make India his permanent residence. Many years later, his grandson Gavin made a mark for himself in Hindi and regional cinema mostly playing the villain’s formidable henchman.

Gavin was born to Earl and Barbara Packard in Mumbai. Living in Kalyan (a suburb on outskirt of Mumbai), Gavin was eldest amongst the five kids. A fitness enthusiast right from his childhood; Gavin won many awards in body building events right up to the National level. He was the first actor in Bollywood to sport a proper six pack abs in the pre-Salman- Sanjay Dutt era.

After a few modelling assignments, Gavin Packard landed his first role in the Bollywood movie Jawaani (1984) starring Neelam and Karan Shah. It was a blink and miss appearance in the song “Hulla Gulla Mache”. Two years later, Gavin appeared as a smuggler in Sanjay Khan’s Kala Dhanda Goray Log (1986). By the late 80s, Gavin got offers from not only Hindi but even Malayalam Cinema. His debut Malayalam release was Aryan (1988) directed by Priyadarshan with Mohanlal in the lead. Around the same time, he also acted in the popular Hindi serial Indradhanush (1988) aired on Doordarshan. His major breakthrough came with the 1989 Malayalam film Season, again opposite Mohanlal, where he played the main antagonist called Fabian Ramirez which is considered as his career best performance. This opened more doors for him in Hindi Cinema as well where he would often be seen playing henchmen to villain or a ‘firangi’ smuggler. Ilaaka (1989) is often mistaken to be his debut film but his first movie was actually Jawaani (1984). In the same year, he appeared in the movie Na-Insaafi opposite Sonam in the song “Aankhon se choone do” where he is shown playing a Tarzan with just a piece of cloth covering him. This was the very first instance where Gavin got a chance to show his muscular physique which made many females go weak in the knees. Later, he danced as He-man in a similar song setup in a film titled Nafrat Ki Aandhi (1989) in which Neeta Puri is shown seducing him.

Gavin became friends with actor Sanjay Dutt and would train him in the gym. Dutt got him acquainted with noted director Mahesh Bhatt and he landed plum roles in Saathi (1991) and Sadak (1991). Packard played Chikna, the trusted aide of hero Aditya Panscholi in Saathi while in Sadak, he was pitted against friend Sanjay Dutt as one of the goons called Side Hero. Both the films gave him a new lease of life. Particularly, Sadak featured a famous bare chested fight scene between Dutt and Gavin which became a highlight of the movie. Later, Gavin helped Sanjay beef up for his anti-hero role in Feroz Khan’s Yalgaar (1992). Further, he also trained actor Sunil Shetty and Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera. It is said that even Salman Khan took tips from him when he decided to build his physique.

Gavin Packard was a Bollywood regular throughout the ‘90s and was seen in every second film as the henchmen of the main villain. Few notable movies in his long filmography include Jawaani (1984), Tridev (1989), Kahan Hai Kanoon (1989), Thanedaar (1990), Sadak (1991), Saathi (1991), Adharm (1992), Chamatkar (1992), Jaagruti (1992), Aankhen (1993), Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Krishan Avtaar (1993), Naaraaz (1994), Mohra (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Jurmana (1996), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Pardesi Babu (1996), Kaala Samrajya (1999), Hadh Kar Di Aapne (2000), Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002), Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani (2002), etc.

During the mid ‘90s to start of the new millennium, Gavin Packard worked in many films featuring Mithun Chakraborty which were (in)famously referred to as ‘Ooty Products’. These include Bhishma (1996), Sher-E-Hindustan (1998), Shera (1999) and Maa Kasam (1999). With the beginning of new millennium, the kind of roles Gavin was getting were not like the ones he got in the 90s. This was largely due to the change in trend from action movies to films catering to family and NRI audience. In Hadh Kar Di Aapne (2000), Packard played a European local guide while he was a British ruffian in Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002). Gavin also tried his luck on television in the horror series Sssshhhh Koi Hai in 2001-02 where he played a ghost in one of the episodes. He also experimented by trying his luck in music albums where he played the main antagonist in Sajjad Ali’s single Cinderella. His last Bollywood release was Rajkumar Kohli’s multi-starrer Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani after which he literally vanished from the film industry and was not seen for ages.

In August 2010, a local newspaper published an article on him mentioning that Gavin Packard had met with a serious accident in Kalyan Market and broke his leg. He lay unattended there for two hours until some locals recognized him and took him to Municipal hospital in Dombivili (a suburb on outskirts of Mumbai). As his injury was serious, Gavin was later shifted to Sion hospital where few reporters went to question him about his life and career. He yelled back at them saying he had no work for years and nobody wants to help him!! A Mumbai cop who did not wish to be named offered to take his responsibility as he had done fitness training under him and later got selected to the police force. Another of his friend named Nitin Bangale contacted the newspaper which published the article and got in touch with him to offer help. Soon enough, Gavin’s wife Avril and daughter Erika along with his brother Darryl reached the hospital to take his responsibility fully putting the rumours about their family dispute to rest.

Later, Darryl revealed that Gavin had turned alcoholic and was in the rehab for treatment which he left incomplete and disappeared. He was found much later at his Kalyan home. Darryl also stated that after he recovers fully, he will be shifted to his Bandra home where his wife and daughter live.

In 2011, Gavin was finally back to face the camera as he had signed a film called Rocky The Slave. But faith had something else in store as even before the film was completed, Gavin Packard left for his heavenly abode on 18th May 2012 due to respiratory issues. He was buried at St. Andrews Church cemetery in Bandra where about two hundred people including his fans, attended his funeral but no one from the film industry was there. Rocky The Slave was completed in 2014 but still remains unreleased due to some issues between its makers.

Erika Packard, Gavin’s daughter continues her father’s legacy in the glamour world. She is one of the top models in the industry as well as social media influencer.

Gavin won many hearts during his hey days. When he lived in Andheri Chakala area, he would often interact with the people around and still fondly remembered there as a great guy.