In recent years, Pankaj Tripathi has emerged as one of the finest performers in the Hindi Film industry, and rightfully so. After all, he has managed to infuse a vein of realism in every role he’s performed, no matter how comical or serious.
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In an interview with Rajeev Masand, for his series Class Act, Pankaj Tripathi talked about his upcoming ventures, the long years of struggles, and continuously improving on his craft.
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It was in 2012 that Gangs of Wasseypur helped the audience and Bollywood open up to the talent that Pankaj Tripathi is. But he’d acted in small roles in a handful of movies long before that. And the way Pankaj looks back over his long years of struggle is a lesson for us all.
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During the same struggle period, Pankaj was concerned about providing for his family, but never frustrated – because he always believed that one day his hard work would pay.
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When the tide changed and brought greater roles for Pankaj, not all of them were substance driven. But Pankaj always found a way to make every role ‘interesting’ for him, and drive enjoyment from his work.
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Today, he is on the other side of the fence – where he is short on time but not roles. And consequently, he ends up rejecting roles – something, he is not sure all producers/creators appreciate.
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But for him, even today, it’s not the hard-earned success but the love for his craft that keeps him going. A craft, that he feels needs to be continuously improved and worked upon.
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And yet there is a certain role that Pankaj Tripathi – who has managed to be a Godman, drug lord, a small-time crook, gentle friend, conniving secretary, and whatnot – would never say yes to.
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Clearly, Pankaj Tripathi is not just a brilliant performer, but also a humble star, who may have touched success but who still hasn’t lost sight of what is truly important, personally and professionally.
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H/T: Class Act with Rajeev Masand.
You can watch the complete video here:
All images are screenshots from the interview on YouTube, unless specified otherwise.
Design Credits: Nupur Agrawal.