Despite the accolades and fame coming his way for such commercial films as Gunjan Saxena and 83, Pankaj Tripathi wants to be a part of such narratives which talk about pressing social issues, often lost amidst the cacophony of all things glitzy, glamourous and urbane. His latest release, Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga, sees Pankaj playing Gangaram, a village head who attempts to save his poverty-stricken family at the cost of sacrificing his own life. Also, Pankaj's short film Laali, director by Abhiroop Basu, too, sees him playing a neighbourhood ironer. The movie just released on Disney+Hotstar to rave reviews.
Tripathi feels that though the majority of work done in the film industry is just about average, things are changing slowly. "Our cinema and our reality are starkly different from global ones, both in terms of weather and culture. We have a treasure trove of varied regional folk arts which is hardly explored. And we have to look deep within to come up with unique raw stories that resonate with our audience," he reflects.
But beyond his passion for cinema, it's the wanderlust in him that excites Pankaj the most.
"Cinema is a part of my life and a way to earn a comfortable living so that I can travel and discover the world, especially the forests. I have covered almost all forests in India except a few in the south. The forests have a different charm to them -- the mornings are distinctly different from the afternoons and evenings -- in fact, each corner is different from the other. The chirping birds the light and shade created by a canopy of leaves, everything about the jungles is breathtaking. My recent outings at Gorumara Chapramari and Lataguri forest areas of Bengal had me so impressed that I wanted to settle down in a treehouse somewhere there," tells the nature lover.
An eloquent speaker who can mesmerise you like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Pankaj also doesn't completely rule out the chances of his entering politics. "Is there any Bihari on earth who is uninterested in politics?" he smiles.
Pankaj will also be seen in Oh My God! 2, Fukrey 3, Mirzapur season 3, and Raj and DK’s Gulkanda Tales, an original series for Amazon Prime.