Pankaj Tripathi is one of India’s most versatile and well-respected performers. He has appeared in a variety of films and television shows, and his performances have received critical acclaim. But his path to stardom was not without difficulty. He had to overcome several obstacles, including his modest roots in a small Bihar town.
Born on September 5, 1976, in the small hamlet of Belsand in Bihar, he overcame various obstacles on his way to becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most acclaimed actors. His path from a tiny hamlet in Bihar to film success acts as an inspiration to many aspiring performers. His success story emphasises the value of skill, tenacity, and perseverance in realising one’s ambitions, regardless of their origin.
Tripathi recalled how he received his first ever film, ‘Run,’ in which he played a blink-and-miss role, last year at the first edition of News18 India’s Amrit Ratna Samman event in New Delhi. The actor revealed, “They had approached me with an offer. For my first film, I didn’t have to travel anyplace. It was, however, a minor role. They were hunting for an actor because the one they had originally cast had fled. So, one hour before the filming in Delhi, they started looking for an actor. ‘There’s an actor sleeping over there, he has decent comedy timing,’ someone told them.”
Pankaj Tripathi’s success journey:
“‘Main soya hua tha (I was sleeping)’. They approached me and awoke me. ‘Who are you?’ I questioned. They said, ‘Film dene aaye hain (We have come here to offer you a movie).’ ‘Ye kaisa aadmi hai?’ I asked. So, while I was sleeping, I received my first film. “And after that, even after running, I couldn’t get movies,” Tripathi remembered.
Tripathi revealed, “My inspiration is Manoj Bajpayee ji. I had no idea what kind of hurdles I would encounter, but his path motivated me. Furthermore, there are no predefined criteria for assessing skill. It is not inscribed on your brow that you are gifted. There are no talent qualifications, especially in cinema. There are a lot of people auditioning for a single position. There will be long lines. As a result, breaking through is really difficult,”
Pankaj Tripathi grew up in a low-income home and suffered financial difficulties as a child. His upbringing was distant from the glamour and dazzle of the entertainment business. Despite the odds, he pursued his studies and graduated from the famed National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, which is noted for producing great performers. He underwent the standard hardships that many aspiring actors face in the Indian film industry after finishing his education. While attending auditions, he had to do odd jobs to make ends meet.
Pankaj Tripathi‘s debut came with his portrayal as Sultan Qureshi in Anurag Kashyap’s critically acclaimed film “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). His portrayal of a gangster garnered significant acclaim, establishing him as a versatile actor.
