It has been an "unusual" journey for acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi, who came from a village in Gopalganj District in Bihar and today is considered to be one of Hindi cinema's finest artists.
The 45-year-old actor is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga', a dark humor-laced satire inspired by true events. Asked if he resonates with the title of a 'Sherdil', which in English loosely translates to being fearless colloquially, Tripathi in a conversation with IANS said: "I don't know if I am Sherdil or not. But my journey (in acting) has been of a 'Sherdil'.
"A boy coming from an interior part of India and thinking of becoming an actor. And he goes to become one. This is an unusual journey."
The Reliance Entertainment film gives a peek into the adverse effects of urbanization, man-animal conflicts, and poverty leading to a bizarre practice in a village on the edge of a protected forest.
Talking about the plotline of the film and the cons of urbanization, the actor said: "That is a constraint. Urbanization will happen with the growth of population, the infrastructure will grow, and roads, etc will be made. The development will take place and if development takes place somewhere in the nature. We just have to take care that there is a balance."
"It is about balance and the story of Sherdil is the same too. The film questions whether man, animal, and nature live in sync together?"
Tripathi made his acting debut in 2004 with a minor role in 'Run' and 'Omkara'. His breakthrough came in the year 2012 with his antagonistic role in the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' franchise.
He has received appreciation for his work in films such as 'Fukrey', 'Masaan', 'Nil Battey Sannata', Bareilly Ki Barfi', 'Newton', 'Stree', 'Ludo', and 'Mimi.' He also established himself in the web world with series such as 'Mirzapur', 'Criminal Justice', 'Yours Truly' and 'Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors.'
Touted as one of India's finest actors, Tripathi keeps no expectations from his films. "I keep no expectations from any film that I do. I put in an act and I get paid for my efforts. After that, I leave it in the audience's hands. I do my world with full honesty. I don't think much about what will happen and what will not," he concluded.
[With Inputs from IANS]
