Pathak was born in Bhojpur district, Bihar, India. He attended the boarding school Vikas Vidyalaya, Ranchi until 1982. After graduating from Allahabad University he moved to USA for higher studies.
While studying at State University of New York at Stony Brook Pathak had many acting roles, notably in the comedies Khosla Ka Ghosla. and Bheja Fry. In 1999 he played the role of Vinny in the television series Hip Hip Hurrey. He also produced the film Dasvidaniya, which told the story of a Common man bidding farewell before dying.
Pathak starred in a minor role as Inspector Gurpal Badash in a made-for-TV movie Murder Unveiled (2005) featuring the Sikh community in Canada.
His next film produced by Pritish Nandy Communications Raat Gayi Baat Gayi, was released in India in December 2009.
