“Empty pockets and thousands of dreams” – with this thought, a simple village boy came to Mumbai and today has become a star of Bollywood and OTT world. This is the story of Pankaj Tripathi, who, without any fanfare, has achieved the position that millions of youth desire on the basis of his acting and hard work. His life journey proves that if there is dedication and patience, then the path to success can be made even amidst struggles.
Childhood and education of Pankaj Tripathi
Pankaj Tripathi was born on 5 September 1976 in Belsand village of Gopalganj district of Bihar. His father Pandit Banaras Tiwari was a farmer and priest, while mother Kumud Devi was a housewife. Childhood was spent in a joint family, where the importance of simplicity, discipline and hard work was taught. Working in the fields, helping father in worship and living a simple village life was a part of his daily routine.
Along with studies, he was also fond of acting. He used to play the role of a girl in village fairs and plays, which gave him his first experience of acting on stage. After completing his primary education from the village, he received higher education in Patna. From here he did a course in hotel management and also worked in a hotel for some time. But his heart was always drawn towards acting. This passion took him to the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, from where he received a bachelor’s degree in 2004. It was from here that his acting got a new shape and depth.
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Recognition came from struggles
After completing his studies from NSD, Pankaj Tripathi reached Mumbai. In the year 2004, he was completely unknown – no identity, no godfather. In the initial days, he had to play small roles like watchman, goon, servant and policeman. He did small roles in films like ‘Run’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Dharam’ and many TV serials and advertisements. Many times he had to play characters without a name and giving continuous auditions became his routine.
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Despite financial constraints, failures and rejections, he did not give up. After a long struggle, he got recognition in 2012 with the character of ‘Sultan’ in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. This character proved to be the turning point of his career. After this, the industry took his acting seriously and his struggle became an inspiration that true talent definitely shines one day.
Journey from Bollywood to OTT
Pankaj Tripathi’s film career is a great example of diversity and depth. After starting with small roles, he left his mark in films like ‘Fukrey’, ‘Masaan’, ‘Nil Batte Sannata’, ‘Newton’, ‘Stree’, ‘Luka Chuppi’, ‘Gunjan Saxena’ and ‘Mimi’. He also received the National Film Award for ‘Newton’ and ‘Mimi’.
His popularity increased even more on the OTT platform. Be it the role of ‘Kaaleen Bhaiya’ in ‘Mirzapur’ or his powerful acting in ‘Criminal Justice’ and ‘Sacred Games’—the audience accepted him with open arms everywhere. He became the king of OTT in no time. Today Pankaj Tripathi is counted among the most trusted and talented actors of Indian cinema. His story gives the message that only hard work, dedication and honesty are required to make dreams come true.
