I want people to identify with the characters I play: Pankaj

Pankaj Tripathi, the recipient of many recognitions, not least of them the National Award, has made his mark on both the big screen and OTT. The National School of Drama alumnus, who wowed audiences as the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Mein Atal Hoon, has also grabbed attention in films like Akshay Kumar’s OMG2, the Amazon Prime series Mirzapur 1, 2 and 3, and Netflix’s Sacred Games. Here he is, in exclusive conversation with DC:

How has your goal changed from the start of your journey in entertainment?

In the beginning, it was about earning money. I just wanted to get work. But now I look for challenging scripts. Whenever I take up any character, I want it to be exciting, and I want people to identify with it. For example, when I chose to do Main Atal Hoon, I wanted people to know about Atalji.

How do you approach your characters?

I am a trained actor and have been acting for years. Some characters develop as the journey progresses on screen, while others find a place for themselves within me. I read the script and activate my thought process to bring that character out to the best of my abilities. The director helps me take the right path. What the viewer sees on screen is thus a team effort. I feel that as an actor, we need a few days to get in and get out of characters. Once, I was shooting all night for Main Atal Hoon and in the morning I had to perform my character in Stree – and I went totally wrong. I was mouthing my dialogues as if I were Atalji. When the director, Amar Kaushik, pointed this out to me, I realised that I needed at least a few hours’ gap between playing different characters. The same thing happened while I was playing Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur Season 3. I feel I should take a break for 15 days, refresh myself and then resume.

How do you prepare for your roles?

I don’t have any sort of fear. I don’t prepare for my characters at home. However, for the first two days on the sets, I keep trying to find out more about the character I am playing, and the story. My only fear is that my director will come to know about this search of mine! Nahi toh woh insecure feel kar sakta hai, yeh sooch kar ki yeh toh hawa mein hai!.’ I am lucky though; directors know me by now.

Who is your biggest critic?

My wife is my biggest critic. But in a way, I am my own critic. I evaluate my work often and try to find out what may have gone wrong. I never watch the monitor. If the director has okayed my shot, I am fine with it. Also, after my make-up man has done my hair etc. I don’t even look in the mirror. For me, he is my mirror.