Pankaj Tripathi: Need depiction that goes beyond caricature

Pankaj Tripathi, whose next Kagaz is set in rural India, believes Hindi cinema has failed to present villages authentically on screen.

With several big projects — including Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Ludo and 83 — under his belt, it is surprising when Pankaj Tripathi says that he holds Kagaz closest to his heart. But the actor has his reasons — he believes that in telling the real-life story of Lal Bihari, the Azamgarh-based farmer who was declared dead on paper, the Satish Kaushik-directed film wonderfully captures the earthiness of rural India. While Bollywood films have discovered the charm of small-town stories in the recent years, Tripathi says that the industry has yet to wake up to its rural counterpart.

"There-s a large part of India, and a beautiful one at that, which remains unexplored on the big screen. There needs to be a better depiction of rural India; it needs to go beyond the caricaturish portrayals for comic relief. There are many underdog stories of relentless work and perseverance waiting to be told," argues the actor.

He is proud that Salman Khan recognised the merit of the narrative and agreed to back it. "Kagaz was a journey that took me back to my time in Gopalgunj [his village]. I hope the film will mark the beginning of many such stories," he adds.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel @middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!