The engagingly versatile actor Pankaj Tripathi who turn a year older today. has decided to change his career strategy. “I will only do only one assignment at a time. Offers are pouring in ,and it’s not possible for me to do all of them. But now after the third season of Applause Entertainment’s Criminal Justice I realize how much the audience expects from me,” admits Pankaj .
The pre-release expectations were scary. “Everyone wanted to know what my character of the Bihari lawyer Madhav Mishra was going to do in the third season of Criminal Justice .Over the course of the last two seasons Madhav has evolved. Madhav had become a part of the OTT viewership’s DNA. I realized this only after Season 3 started streaming.”
The response has been overwhelming, to say the least. “I now realize how much is expected from me. It is a responsibility. Zimmedaari toh hai, to my audience to myself. More than letting them down, I now fear letting myself down.”
It’s time for Pankaj to slow down. “During the past five years I’ve been working non-stop. Now I don’t need to work for any other reason except for job satisfaction. For that, I need to cut down on my workload.From now on I will complete one project before moving on to the next.It is the only I can devote myself completely to building a character.”
Speaking of his two most popular characters, Pankaj says , “Kalin Bhai in Mirzapur and Madhav Mishra in Criminal Justice stand out for the way they have connected with audiences over several seasons. Do I prefer OTT or the cinema? I prefer acting.The format is of no importance.”
Pankaj does admit that there is much more happening on OTT. “I have two important films Oh My God and Fukre. But the real excitement is on the digital platform.Any ambitious hardworking actor can do anything on OTT.”
About turning a year older, Pankaj says, "The age to enjoy birthdays is gone. When I was younger there was no money to enjoy my special day. Now when I can afford to celebrate my birthday there is no desire to make some noise. A quiet day with the family is all I want."