There is no airport anywhere near the small sleepy town of Belsand in Bihar where Pankaj Tripathi’s aging parents live. One has to fly down to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and then drive down to the soporific town in Bihar. And that’s exactly what Pankaj has done this week. It’s a grueling journey but one that the Criminal Justice actor had to undertake.
Speaking to me from near Gorakhpur on the road, Pankaj said, “It’s been a while since I visited my parents. They are aging and they cannot travel. So I had to go and meet them.”
Pankaj was required in Mumbai to promote his new web series Criminal Justice 2 where his performance as Patna-born lawyer Madhav Mishra is a whammy. Having seen the series I can tell you it’s a befitting year-ender for the versatile actor. This time Pankaj is newly married in the series. His growing relationship with his innocent but sensible and devoted wife is a treat.
Laughs Pankaj, “The girl who plays my wife is completely new. Her name is Khushboo Atre. I enjoyed working on my relationship with her on-screen. My earlier miya-biwi relationship with Rasika Duggal in Mirzapur was very dark and complicated. In Criminal Justice 2 Madhav Mishra and his wife Ratna provide the light moments in the dark theme.”
Pankaj is looking forward to doing more light-hearted work in 2021. But for now, work can wait. “It’s a never-ending demand on one’s time. Visiting my parents was just as important. I am now approaching Gorakhpur where I’ll spend some time with friends before heading for Mumbai.”
Image source: Instagram/pankajtripathi/#pankajtripathi
Image source: Instagram/pankajtripathi/#pankajtripathi