Pankaj Tripathi Reveals What Shaped His Career, From Raavan Sarees to National Awards
Acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi has opened up about his unique journey through Bollywood and OTT stardom in IMDb’s ‘The Essential Guide’. From dressing in sarees to winning National Awards, the actor shared behind-the-scenes stories, surprising fans with revelations about his choices, challenges, and key turning points.
In his signature grounded style, Tripathi recalled nearly turning down Mimi. “I initially didn’t want to do Mimi,” he said. “Dinesh Vijan and Laxman Utekar called my wife asking her to convince me. I gave in.” That decision paid off. The film became one of the most-watched OTT titles, earning National Awards for both Tripathi and co-star Kriti Sanon.
Tripathi also revisited one of his most emotional career milestones—the filming of Newton, the political satire that fetched him his first National Award. “I had lower back pain at the time. I wore an orthopaedic belt under my uniform throughout the shoot,” he said. The moment he discovered the win was raw and real. “I ran to my room. I had 30–35 missed calls. I cried. I called my wife first.”
His reflections were not just award-focused. In a lighter vein, he spoke about Raavan, where he explored his feminine side. “I wore a saree with makeup. I sat on set like that for seven days. I had done something similar in my village for a play.” While the role never made it to a full film, Tripathi said he’d gladly take up such a role again.
Tripathi also shared touching personal anecdotes, including the story behind a rare photograph with his parents. “In villages, we don’t usually click pictures. A child clicked that photo. That was the first time I placed a hand on my father’s shoulder.”
He further detailed how films like Masaan and Nil Battey Sannata helped shatter his tough-guy image from Gangs of Wasseypur. “Masaan showed I can be soft. Nil Battey Sannata revealed I can be funny,” he said. “That role of a sincere school principal was serious but comic.”
With Criminal Justice Season 4 now streaming, Tripathi reflected on the three OTT roles that defined him: Guruji in Sacred Games, Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur, and Madhav Mishra in Criminal Justice. “While acting, I just keep thinking. That thinking becomes expression. That becomes the character.”
Tripathi continues to redefine the boundaries of performance, switching between serious, comic, intense, and offbeat roles with remarkable ease. From sarees to law courts, he has done it all—and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
