'Guruji becomes bigger than Gaitonde in Sacred Games season 2'

Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui on the show Sacred Games

Pankaj Tripathi's role of the godman, Guruji, was the surprise package of the first season of Sacred Games. While many were disappointed that the actor had only four scenes in the Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer, Tripathi hints that, in a departure from the source material - Vikram Chandra's novel by the same name - his character will become the mastermind behind the chain of events in the second part.

The pilot season sees Siddiqui's Gaitonde describe the godman as his "teesra baap", one who taught him the tricks of the trade. Come season two and Tripathi suggests that it will be a clash of titans as Guruji bails out on his protege. "Guruji is a larger-than-life part and will become the most sought-after character in the series. My character becomes as big as Gaitonde," says the actor.

Though Tripathi shot for only a handful of days for the current season, working with director-duo Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane was homecoming of sorts for him. "Anurag, Vikram and Varun [Grover, writer] know me for many years now. I simply followed the brief they gave me. It was a brilliant experience to do this show. I even dubbed the lines in English."

Tripathi says it was sheer joy reuniting with Siddiqui, whom he has known since his National School Of Drama (NSD) days. "Nawaz bhai and I lived in the same hostel at the NSD. We admire each other's work. Since we come from the same acting background, our approach to work is similar. We have been taught by the same people. When we meet, we hardly talk work, we reminisce about the old times."

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