Doing The Work I’ve Always Wanted To Do: Pankaj Tripathi on Winning A National Film Award And Two Decades In The Entertainment Industry

Popular actor Pankaj Tripathi says he is pleased to be working in movies that tell the stories he has always wanted to be connected with, twenty years and two National Film Awards later.

It’s a pleasant coincidence that Tripathi won the National Award for best supporting actor for “Mimi” the day after he celebrated 20 years living in Mumbai.

“I feel grateful and humbled. I believe that if you persist and work honestly, everything is achievable. Yesterday was my 20th year in Mumbai. My second honor from the National Awards is this one. I’m appreciative of the jury’s decision, Laxman Utekar (director of “Mimi”), all of the spectators, and all of my directors.

“To the supporters in the crowd who have shown me such adoration. People approached me during the awards ceremony and told me that for them, winning felt like a personal accomplishment. Since I too come from the common people, it feels amazing,” the 47-year-old actor said in an interview with PTI.

Known for the movies “Gangs of Wasseypur,” “Masaan,” “Stree,” and the online series “Mirzapur” and “Criminal Justice,” Tripathi began his acting career in the uncredited part of Chigurida Kanasu in the 2003 Kannada film.

The actor, who was born in Bihar, is now recognized by a number of the characters he has played, including Rudra Bhaiya from the horror comedy “Stree” and Kaleen Bhaiya from the criminal drama series “Mirzapur.” His portrayal of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in “Main Atal Hoon” will be his next screen appearance.

Tripathi, who was given a National Award – Special Mention for the 2017 film “Newton,” said, “The next 20 years also look promising,” when asked how he sees the future.

“The stories I wanted to tell and the filmmakers I wanted to collaborate with are now occurring. I’ve seen the rough edits of two of my future movies, “Kadak Singh” and the biography of Atal ji, for instance,” he said.

The actor said he had now achieved some work-life balance while being accompanied by his wife Mridula and daughter Aashi.

“Previously, it wasn’t like that. I used to work a lot and always feel rushed. I used to return home really late at night during my hard times since I was often moving about looking for jobs. My child would be well sleeping. I didn’t even get a Sunday off from work.

“My life has been more disciplined recently. I take a weekly day off and try to spend as much time as I can with my family. I’m happy about it too. I wouldn’t even have time for myself earlier. I now walk for an hour or so, do yoga, or go running,” he said.

Tripathi also discussed his most recent films, “OMG 2” and “Fukrey 3,” which have amassed over Rs 100 crore in box office revenue.

“Despite receiving an A, ‘OMG 2’ is getting great reviews and doing very well on OTT. ‘Fukrey 3’ makes people laugh, which is extremely necessary for life. The audience has shown love and enthusiasm for both movies. I appreciate that,” he replied.

No matter the platform, whether it is film or OTT, acting is his favorite profession, the actor said.

“I like to perform. Acting helps me better understand who I am. I get something from each character. Every narrative enlightens me on a brand-new concept. Life is brief, and it takes a while for us to fully understand who we are. Overall, we seem to know so little about ourselves.

Tripathi said that Bhanu, the role he played in “Mimi,” taught him the value of keeping one’s word no matter what. His mentor, Kaleen Bhaiya from “Mirzapur,” taught him how to manage an enterprise.

“Running a company requires competence. You will need to do all the saam, daam, dand, and bhed tasks. Fortunately, it’s more significant for characters than for real-life people. He believed that simplicity and routine make life better.

The third season of “Mirzapur” and “Stree 2” will also include the actor.