'One Actor Can Only Do So Much Work'

'I had not even realised I had done almost 100 films.'

Pankaj Tripathi revealed that wooing his wife Mridula was far more difficult than wooing Konkona Sen Sharma's Kajol in Metro... In Dino.

In the concluding part of the interview with Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, he reveals how his views about awards have changed through the years.

"He (a friend) was prepared to pay money to enter the award function, but I stopped him. I assured him that one day, we could come back, not as spectators, but as nominees, and return home with awards. Today, even if I am invited to such functions, I don't usually want to go."

When did you first come to Mumbai?

It was in 2001, when I was still studying at the National School of Drama (NSD).

As part of our training, we had a camp in Mumbai.

We were sent to learn Maharashtra's different folk forms.

Did you have time for a Mumbai darshan?

Haan, town gaye the (we took a tour of South Mumbai) and we roamed the suburbs too, from Lokhandwala Market (in Andheri, north west Mumbai), sparkling with bright lights, to Film City (in neighbouring Goregaon).

A shoot of the film Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon was on, I think at Sankraman Studio in Goregaon.

The comedy-drama features Rajpal Yadav, our senior from NSD, and we went to meet him.

This was the first time we were on a film set and were surprised to see so many people bustling around and so much happening all at once.

One evening, we heard that a film award function was happening in BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex, north west Mumbai).

The three of us jumped into an autorickshaw and headed there.

Since we had no invitation card or passes, we could not enter the venue.

We simply stood outside the ground, and listened to the sounds coming from inside.

Had you imagined then that one day you would be invited to a similar function and be felicitated on stage?

That evening, one of my friends, desperate to get in, bahut jugad kar raha tha (was trying his best).

He was even prepared to pay money to enter the award function, but I stopped him.

I assured him that one day, we could come back, not as spectators, but as nominees, and return home with awards.

(Laughs) We were kids, around 25-26 years old, doing theatre in Delhi, and didn't know anything about awards then.

Today, even if I am invited to such functions, I don't usually want to go. Attending them is a big task for me now.

Which was the first award you won?

I think it was Screen's golden lady (for Best Supporting Actor for Stree).

Priyanka Sinha Jha was the editor of the film weekly at the time.

I was waiting in a queue outside the gate when I heard my name being announced.

Frazzled, I told the media people who had stopped me for bytes, 'Bhai, mera naam announce ho raha hai, jaane do mujhe (Brother, my name is being announced, please let me go).'

I ran inside, shouting, 'Aa gaya, aa gaya main (I'm here, I'm here)', and sprinting up to the stage, accepted my first award.

Mumbai is an important part of the narrative of Anurag Basu's Metro... In Dino. It has definitely been the City of Dreams for you.

Ji, bilkul (Most definitely).

How much would you say the city has changed since your first visit?

It's a fantastic city, and in all these years, I would say the spirit of Mumbai hasn't diminished in any way.

But it is extending vertically now, with all the skyscrapers coming up.

I can't say much about the restaurants and the khana peena (food and drinks) or even the cultural scene since I don't live in the city.

I'm at the other end, in a quiet nook.

Yes, Madh Island, where you have your dream house Roop Katha, is far removed from the bustling metropolis. Irrfan Khan, who also had a home there, would say that he had chosen to stay there so he could breathe in the fresh air, grow plants and look at the sea.

In my case, patni ko achcha laga (my wife liked it there), so I was immediately ready to move.

Also, it reminds me of my village, Belsand, in the Gopalganj district of Bihar; the greenery, the open spaces, the sense of being free.

Travelling long distances can be a pain sometimes.

I stay back in the city sometimes when I'm working.

You have done almost 100 films -- 99 going by IMDB's filmography -- with more to follow. Are you satisfied with your 22-year-journey so far?

Yes, I'm very satisfied, whatever God does, sab accha hi hota hai (everything is good).

For me, this is a learning process and I'm still learning every day.

There was a time when you were exhausted from working without a break for almost three years. Have you found the work-life balance now?

Yes. More than professional, I was grappling with a lot of family problems.

There were two deaths, including my babuji's (father).

Break lene mein koi kathinayi nahin hoti (taking a break is not difficult at all).

But it can't be easy saying no to producers.

Yeah, that hurts because people approach you and send you scripts to read with so much hope that I hate disappointing them.

But kya karen, one actor can only do so much work. You can't take on everything that you have offered.

After a point, you have to become selective, taqleef hoti hai, but now I have learnt to say no.

It is important for your own well-being to set boundaries.

Even you know how frazzled I was earlier from taking on too much work.

So today, what is the criterion for doing a film or a series?

The story has to excite me first.

Well, you have some interesting films coming up, like Adaab Dawood Ibrahim Bol Raha Hoon...

No, I'm not in the film.

Shaktimaan with Ranveer Singh and Ram Janma Bhomi with Anupam Kher?

No, I haven't even been approached for these films either.

Gulkanda Tales?

Haan, I'm in this one, it's a badhiya Web series created by Raj & DK.

Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya is also set to return with Mirzapur Season 4. Doesn't the phenomenal popularity of the series make you nervous about whether it will live up to the sky high expectations it has raised?

No, why should I be nervous?

We have the confidence that we will deliver to the audience's expectations.

In fact, a screen adaptation of the series has been announced and now Mirzapur will also be released as a film.

Recently, the fourth season of Criminal Justice, released. How challenging is it playing a much-loved character like Madhav Mishra, the hawk-eyed advocate, and ensuring you give your fans something new every time?

That's more of a challenge for the writer than the actor. Our writers deserve full credit for making Criminal Justice: A Family Matter the most viewed Web series in India.

I don't know if I added anything new to the character of Madhav Mishra, you would be a better judge of that, but the script had plenty of twists and turns.

My job is to deliver which is relatively easy given that the character is already well established and I only have to carry the story forward every season.

When the writing is good, when what is happening is exciting, it's not all that difficult to inject fresh energy into the character.

While this season has been well received, JioHotstar's strategy of premiering the first three episodes on May 29 and dropping one every Friday till the finale on July 3 has come in for widespread criticism. At a time when binge watching is the norm, the limited episode release was exasperating for viewers.

Every streaming platform has its own strategy, it's not an actor's job to decide matters related to release and marketing.

I prefer binge watching shows, but it's good viewers did not have to stay up with Criminal Justice 4.

(With a twinkle) We are concerned about people's sleep, we didn't want to ruin their night's sleep, we wanted them to take their time and savour the show.

Now that all the episodes have dropped, those who haven't seen it yet, can stay up all night and binge watch.

It took you almost a decade to find a footing in the film industry, catching the eye as Sultan in Anurag Kashyap's 2012 epic crime drama, Gangs Of Wasseypur. What do you remember when you flashback to that performance and your journey so far?

(After a thoughtful pause) Kuch nahi yaad aati hai, honestly, I don't remember much about my past work.

In fact, I had not even realised I had done almost 100 films till you pointed it out.

Really?

I've done quite a few chhota mota (small) roles early in my career, I don't keep track of numbers.

Back then, I didn't think too much about whether the film would be a hit or flop.

I just do my work with sincerity, without strategising.

So, what's the next goal?

My next romcom, Parivarikar ManuRanjan.