Ahead of the release of Mirzapur The Movie, actor Pankaj Tripathi has opened up about reprising his iconic role of Kaleen Bhaiyya, insisting the character audiences already know is only part of a much bigger picture.
A familiar face, a new canvas
In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, Tripathi explained that while the world and characters of Mirzapur remain unchanged, the viewing experience itself marks the biggest shift for Mirzapur The Movie, he said, “In India, very few people understand that OTT is about personal viewing. And cinema is about community viewing. This is the major difference. The world and the characters will be the same. But the story is new and unheard of. And the scale of the screen is big, it is not 5 feet by 6 feet this time.”
On stepping back into Kaleen Bhaiyya without being weighed down by familiarity, he said, “People have already seen him. He is the same character. They will see him in the part of the story that we haven’t seen. He is nothing new and is not the entire story.”
Trusting the craft
Reflecting on his career, Tripathi said his resilience came from unwavering faith in his own work, he said, “I believe if something is loud, people pay more attention to it. But the same people also take time to grasp the subtleties. I had immense trust in my craft and resilience. I knew I’d be noticed one day.”
He also spoke about how the idea of stardom has evolved across generations, he said, “Audiences exposed to good cinema appreciate all kinds of actors and characters. Not only have I created audiences, but audiences have also created me. It’s always vice versa.”
OTT, privacy and picking his own path
Tripathi credited streaming platforms with widening his reach far beyond the limits of theatrical releases, he said, “OTT has made viewing unlimited. Every person can see content from their phones and at their convenience. I suddenly started getting brand deals and became the brand ambassador for 27 brands during COVID-19. Both my manager and I were shocked, but we understood that this is what popularity brings. Being present on every OTT platform helped my case.”
Despite his visibility on screen, he said he prefers to stay away from the spotlight off it, he said, “I don’t have to be visible every week. I don’t even upload moments from my personal life on social media. I love to keep things private. But when a film arrives, promotions are mandatory. That’s when PR is necessary because you have to showcase your film to more people.”
On steering his own career without leaning on industry backing, Tripathi was direct, he said, “I don’t have a guide in the industry. I involve my expertise in the stories I support, the costume I wear and the food I consume.”
Asked whether having a godfather is necessary in Hindi cinema, he said, “Not for me. I make right or wrong decisions in life by myself. I don’t need anyone else.”
Also Read: Pankaj Tripathi says Mirzapur was a ‘leave me alone’ watch on OTT: “It’s now in ‘party mode’”
More Pages: Mirzapur - The Movie Box Office Collection
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