Pankaj Tripathi doesn't believe his acting has a type: '10 paintings from a painter look similar from afar'
The fourth season of Criminal Justice, titled A Family Matter, sees Madhav Mishra fighting his toughest case yet. Talking about returning to the familiar character, Pankaj says, "It is a bit like meeting an old friend, too, and also like remembering something you once studied." Ask him about how he makes sure the character does not fall prey to repetition, and Pankaj replies, 'That is all due to the writing. As an actor, you can pick the best available path to portray a character. There, as a choice, you can avoid the cliches and pandering to the audience.'
Madhav Mishra is a role that he has played the most number of times on screen. But his critics argue that a little bit of Pankaj Tripathi in most roles he does. The actor addresses that and says, "There is a problem in our Hindi film industry that in the days of struggle, there is no work. There were 2-3-year periods between 2004 and 2012 when I did not even face a camera. I could not shoot. After that, I got some small roles, and slowly, I became bigger. A lot of offers came my way. Jab bhookh zyada lagi ho to over-eating karna sambhav hai (When you are famished, there is a possibility of over-eating). So, I overate. I did a lot of work. That creates the challenge of keeping things different. You try, that's all you can do."
But he does not agree that all his roles are similar. "If you look at 10 paintings from one painter from afar, they look similar, because he has his own style. But the moment you go closer, you see minor differences. That is my effort too, to bring that minor difference," argues Pankaj, adding, "The important thing is to work less. But when you do a lot of work, my effort is not to lose my touch that the audience likes, but the characters still feel different."
Criminal Justice: A Family Matter also stars Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen, Asha Negi, Khushboo Atre, Mita Vashisht, and Shweta Basu Prasad. The first three episodes of the season premiered on JioHotstar on May 29, with one releasing every week subsequently.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Anupam Kher admits to stalking a girl during school days; weighs in on rising conflicts in modern relationships: ‘Why should girls tolerate…'
Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently opened up about his views on love, reflecting on how relationships during his younger days were, in his opinion, more meaningful compared to those in the current era. During the conversation, Anupam also candidly admitted to having stalked a girl during his school days and recalled how, coming from a small town, he was especially attracted to girls who studied in English-medium schools. Speaking to Raj Shamani about how relationships differed in his younger days compared to today, he said, 'I grew up in a small town there. We would take six months to look at each other, and after that, it would take three months to tell the person that you like them. Also, I was from a Hindi medium school, and I liked girls from the English medium school as there was a little outgoingness about them.' Admitting to stalking a girl during his school days because he didn't have the courage to speak to her, he said, 'There was a girl who would wear miniskirts at that time, and she had a pout. I used to just walk behind her with my best friend. We are talking about the time when everything took time and everything lasted for a longer time. We did not have much knowledge about love. We used to rise in love instead of falling in love.' When asked about which kind of love was better — his generation's or the current one — he firmly stated that the love he and his peers experienced was 'much better.' Explaining why, he said, 'Because I think relationships should be nurtured, and you should take your own time to discover a relationship. It's a discovery. Without passing judgment, there are a lot of people who were madly in love at this time also. But there was time to discover other people, and it took time to get to know each other's bad qualities.' Anupam also shared his thoughts on why conflicts are more common in relationships today, pointing to the rise in independence among both men and women. He said, 'Both of them are independent and rightfully so.' Using his parents' marriage as an example, he explained that they were married for 59 years and had clearly defined roles — his father was the breadwinner, and his mother managed the household. He added, 'Roles were divided back then and today because of the social structure, and rightfully so, girls are educated and empowered. Why should they take any kind of nonsense from a boy?'
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Smriti Irani interview: ‘My 10 years as minister so stamped on people's minds, they can't envision me as anyone else'
Former Union Minister Smriti Irani surprised many when she announced she was reprising her role as Tulsi Virani in the limited series reboot of popular TV drama Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi — a character that made her a household name. Speaking to The Indian Express, Irani discusses her return to acting, how the entertainment industry has changed, balancing her life — and reiterates that she is not out of politics. Excerpts: * Why did you decide to return to acting? It is a limited series. I was keen to have a partnership with a cohort led by Uday (JioHotstar vice chairman Uday Shankar), who has a background in news and has seen Delhi from up close, and of course, Ekta (Kapoor). She has undergone a huge creative journey… (I wanted to ) see how she would perceive things from today's perspective, issues that are relevant to today's youth, to today's times. Knowing that it is a limited series, how can you not work and enjoy the benefit of this combination coming together? I have never done OTT before. I am more in an observation mode with an expectation to act. * When you stepped onto the set, how did people respond? Was it any different from a decade ago? I was told that I had to sit with the younger generation to do a reading so that they get comfortable. I sat with them for one-and-a-half hours. A decade ago, when I used to do acting, there was never any preparation. Now, there is a lot of it. When I sat with them, they wanted to know the political discourse, state politics, how Parliament functions, how legislation is done, etc. Not just actors, but the writers, creative directors, too. I felt it became less of a media workshop, more of a political workshop. They are kids from different states, speaking different languages, with different ideologies. All of us come together, sit, and talk politics. That was surreal. I managed to keep both my lives separate. My political and acting life were far from each other. Those in the sets tell me we did not know that you knew how to legislate or administer. So, a lot of my old colleagues ask me how come we didn't know all these. Those people in politics with me for the last few decades had not seen the other side of me for a decade. I just went to Bijnor to visit a bereaved colleague. Suddenly, a karyakarta came up and said, 'Didi, my mother wanted me to get a picture with you'. They all came to know that the show was coming up. Now both worlds are coming together, which never happened earlier. * How will you balance these two roles? I always did. I had a break only when I became a Cabinet minister. But I am so glad that as a Cabinet minister, I became so prominent that people never envisioned me as anything but a minister. I had organisational responsibility even in 2003. When I was national secretary twice and national president of the (BJP) Mahila Morcha, I was in the media even then. But my role as a Cabinet minister became so prominent that people have forgotten my other roles. I may be the only one who has had a role in the multimedia age of politics, done legislation across five ministries, and created political history in Amethi. A whole generation has grown up in the last 10 years. They see me only as a politician, but before that too I played a fictional character. * There was speculation that you may be sent to the Rajya Sabha as a nominated MP… Why would I be? I am still an active politician. I am just 49 years old. There are people older than me who have done much for society and much for the organisation. If there is one person who can say that age is on my side, I am that person. I am a very patient human being who has served three terms as MP and has handled five ministries. The fact that I was the youngest minister in the first and second Modi governments is not lost on anyone. I am very proud of the fact that the 10 years as a minister are so stamped on people's minds that they cannot envision me as anyone else. * Do you feel you are missing out on anything since, at the moment, you are neither in the government nor in Parliament? I became an MP in 2011. I was not in Parliament before that. I do not miss anything, I make sure that I am missed. Everyone is in touch with me. Politics is not an easy field. I have seen the best people in politics because they come to serve. For most of my colleagues in the BJP, it was never about the pursuit of power. It was about creating something for the country. It was about being happy when your colleague becomes something. I was elated when Rekha (Gupta) became CM (of Delhi), when Devendra (Fadnavis) became (Maharashtra) CM, or the achievements of Bhupendra (Yadav) bhai and Dharmendra (Pradhan) bhai as a minister. We celebrate each other's achievements. That's a quintessential core BJP karyakarta behaviour. * Will the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot have any social or political message? It is an unreal, surreal, made-up story that can create an indication towards certain realities of our lives. There has to be relevance to today's generation, issues that are topical to them, which require reflection. It is very easy to do reality, but very difficult to convey realities through a made-up, fictional act. You need to create a balance. I am mindful of the channel itself, the platform itself. If you look at the first promo, it is not about the character but about Smriti Irani. It has never happened in the history of GEC (general entertainment channel) that you speak about an individual who has played a fictional character. There is a recognition that the crossroads are meeting. When they wrote the character, they were mindful that it had to be relevant to families today… Tulsi talks about the times that have changed, but the value system is consistent. * The serial is about a Gujarati family. How much has it helped in promoting Gujarati culture? If you watch this time, the new part you will see is an amalgamation of cultures. I don't want to give spoilers. I am married into a Parsi family, but for me to be quintessentially recognised as a Gujarati showcases the impact of what was written. * Will you ever play a negative role? I do not have the capacity to play one. Some may presume me to be one in politics, but I do not have it in me. I don't restrict myself in my political and media choices. I do not don the hat presuming what I can and what I cannot. But I am mindful that I am a responsible politician. I cannot afford to be irresponsible. It's a fine act of balancing because you are a part of a larger storytelling group. Whether what you say is of consequence or not should be a part of your decision. Let's say somebody's propagating a superstition. What should your character say? Your character should not propagate superstition. * Will you be following the Monsoon Session of Parliament while on set? Yes, I always follow the developments. I am not, and never was, out of politics.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Kajol, Prithiviraj And Ibrahim Ali Khan's Sarzameen New Video Out Ahead Of Its Release
Last Updated: Recently, Ibrahim Ali Khan shared BTS photos. In the film, Ibrahim plays the role of Prithviraj and Kajol's son, who gets involved in terrorist operations. Kajol, Prithiviraj, and Ibrahim Ali Khan's Sarzameen release date is coming closer. And to maintain the excitement level, the makers have dropped a new video from the film, giving audiences a deeper glimpse into the high-stakes world of patriotism, family, and sacrifice. The film is releasing on July 25. The makers shared a new video giving a glimpse of the movie. 'Dono apne, per saath sirf ek ka de sakti hai Meher! #Sarzameen, releasing July 25, only on @JioHotstar," read the caption. One of the fans wrote, 'Counting the days to watch #sarzameen and also excited to see Kajol's role. I'm sure she will be creative as she always does in all her films." Another wrote, 'Never imagine kajol with prithvi… but they are looking dam good in one frame… she is looking perfect witl.. not only srk." Take a look here: Recently, Ibrahim Ali Khan shared BTS photos. In the film, Ibrahim plays the role of Prithviraj and Kajol's son, who gets involved in terrorist operations. Therefore, to get into the shoes of a negative character, the Starkid had undergone significant training. The carousel post begins with a monochrome picture of the actor dressed in the Indian army uniform, while in the next snapshot he is dressed in the camouflage attire with a matching face mask and cap. In the adjacent post, Ibrahim is seen aiming with a sniper gun in his hand. Another picture depicts the Starkid sitting on the ground and aiming at a distant object with a gun amid the jungle. Next up, he also shared a couple of scenic pictures from the shoot location, followed by several selfies of his hair and beard growth for the film. Sharing the pictures, he wrote in the caption, '9 days to go #sarzameendiaries." Coming back to Sarzameen, the film follows the story of Vijay Menon (Prithviraj Sukumaran), an army officer who fights terror in Kashmir. The film also explores Vijay's problematic relationship with his son Harman (Ibrahim Ali Khan), who becomes involved in terrorist activities. Meera, Vijay's wife, is played by Kajol, and she is torn between her family and her national responsibilities. Ibrahim made his acting debut with the romantic drama Nadaaniyan, opposite actress Khushi Kapoor. Directed by Shauna Gautam, the film was released on Netflix and faced much criticism online. First Published: July 20, 2025, 16:28 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
