Birthday Special: Pankaj Tripathi and his expressive silences

There’s a method and a tinge of madness behind that method. Look at his filmography and the characters, he speaks so softly you heart goes out to him, even when he’s the evil

Pankaj Tripathi’s loudest performance could be in his debut 'Run', in 2004.  He’s over expressive and excited as he’s all set to con a common man who has come from Allahabad to Delhi to meet an old friend. He succeeds and the role ends, thus birthing a future meme on Choti Ganga. Poor Vijay Raaz!

Before the game-changing and career-shaping 'Gangs of Wassepur' in 2012, there were multiple blink-and-miss roles that the actor signed, perhaps for passion and earning a living. Anurag Kashyap not only shaped Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s career but also made Tripathi an actor to look out for. In this two-part crime thriller, Tripathi played a butcher named Sultan Qureshi. Violence, Expletives, and Romance flew like wine in this dazzling drama. 

Tripathi’s smile and silences are innocent and fragile, and equally terrifying are his hideous characters. He shoots down Sardar Khan at a gas station but the innocence remains intact, and his assassination in the second part is played for laughs, further establishing the fact how Kashyap is a genius when it comes to blending brutality with hilarity. 

As years passed by, the actor became one of the most reliable names in the business, uplifting films merely with his presence. He barely emotes, lets his silences and eyes do the talking. If it’s the scary and comical world of 'Stree', he shall chuckle your funny bone, if it’s the violent world of 'Mirzapur', the man means business. He’s gentle, but a giant in his field. One could call him the gentle giant, not in terms of size, but in terms of depth. 

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always celebrated diversity through cinema, and it comes as no surprise that this year, they have honored Pankaj Tripathi with the Diversity in Cinema award. Some of the previous recipients of this award are Freida Pinto, Fawad Khan, Onir among others. 

Tripathi has made his presence felt in films as well as web series. He has also been nominated for the Best Performance (Male) in the film category for 'Ludo' and for the Best Performance (Male) in web series for 'Mirzapur' season 2. His short film 'Laali' has also made it to the festival this year.

Also Read: Pankaj Tripathi: Many regions don’t have the joy of watching films

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