Pankaj Tripathi: Came to movies with modest expectations

Pankaj Tripathi

Pankaj Tripathi boasts an enviable line-up of projects that includes his first international film Dhaka. But the one that's closest to his heart is the Satish Kaushik-directed Kaagaz. After all, the drama has the actor playing the lead for the first time in his career. "About 10 years ago, the idea of a Bollywood hero was different. Today, we honour the story and its requirements," states Tripathi, ecstatic to take centre stage in the narrative that is based on the real-life story of Lal Bihari, a farmer who was declared dead on paper.

Kaagaz is produced by Salman Khan and directed by Satish Kaushik Kaagaz is produced by Salman Khan and directed by Satish Kaushik

The actor, who started out with bit roles, grabbed the spotlight with his menacing act in Gurgaon (2017), and Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017). If his Kaleen bhaiyya act in Mirzapur turned out to be a game-changer, he followed it up with noteworthy performances in Stree (2018) and Luka Chuppi (2019). In an industry that is often criticised for being star-driven, Tripathi says he never imagined that his supporting acts would, one day, earn him a lead role. That Kaagaz producer Salman Khan is betting big on him is the cherry on top.

"When I joined the movies, I had never imagined that any of these wonderful things were possible for me. I came to the movies with modest expectations, looking for good work. The very fact that the audience welcomed me with so much love is humbling. Kaagaz is my first solo hero project, and there's nothing more fulfilling for an actor than the after-feeling of being part of such a strong story."

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