Have you watched films or TV shows wherein the ‘character actors’ shine the brightest in spite of star-laden casts? These are the actors who steal the show in an ensemble cast, despite being given small roles. One such actor that comes to mind is Pankaj Tripathi, who went from doing minor fleeting roles to being one of the most bankable and sought-after stars in Hindi cinema. Pankaj Tripathi’s acting journey has been nothing short of incredible. On that note, here’s looking at some of Pankaj Tripathi’s movies and TV shows that you’ve gotta watch!
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Pankaj Tripathi Movies
Did you know that Pankaj Tripathi began his career in Bollywood with a small role in the 2004 film Run? It starred Abhishek Bachchan and Bhumika Chawla in lead roles, and Pankaj Tripathi had a guest appearance. Since then, he went on to be a part of several films such as Apaharan, Omkara, Raavan, Agneepath, and many others. It was his role in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur that grabbed attention and got people to notice what a brilliant actor he is! Below are some of Pankaj Tripathi’s movies that you simply must watch for the actor’s fine performance.
Also Read: Best Crime Web Series in Hindi
Gangs Of Wasseypur
Gangs of Wasseypur became an instant cult-classic post release. The two-part movie featured a plethora of different characters with unique eccentricities. However, among all those impactful performances, Pankaj Tripathi’s portrayal of Sultan Qureshi, a gang leader who wanted to murder Sardar Khan, was unmissable. His performance in the dark thriller caught the eye of many and launched him into mainstream success. It remains one of his most popular and loved characters till date!
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Ludo
Pankaj Tripathi plays the role of a gangster Sattu Bhaiya in this multi-starrer, and wins hearts with his performance! Ludo is a fun watch, but what makes it even more entertaining is the great cast. Pankaj Tripathi’s gestures, expressions, and brilliant acting skills are the highlight of this entertaining movie.
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Stree
For those who have watched the horror-comedy film Stree, it will be impossible to refute the fact that Pankaj Tripathi’s acting took the movie to a whole different comedic level. Playing the role of Rudra Bhaiya, a librarian who also happens to be an expert in spirits, he gave us the funniest and most memorable dialogues. His comic timing, along with deadpan delivery evoked the loudest laughs from the audience. This Pankaj Tripathi movie is worth a watch!
Bareilly Ki Barfi
One of Pankaj Tripathi’s most underappreciated performances comes from an equally underrated movie. Pankaj Tripathi played the role of Kirti Sanon’s dad in Bareilly Ki Barfi, and it had us all wishing we had a father as cool as him. He is portrayed as a progressive father who loves his daughter the way she is. Although he wasn’t at the center of the story, every scene he appeared in gave us laughs and loads of heart-warming feels.
Newton
Pankaj Tripathi’s versatility knows no bounds. Though most of the roles that Pankaj Tripathi aced are those of a gangster or a supporting father, his role in Newton as a cynical CRPF officer deserves equal recognition. He is the Yin to Rajkummar Rao’s Yang in this film. Pankaj Tripathi won a Special Mention at the 65th National Film Awards for his stellar performance in Newton. Watch this Pankaj Tripathi film right away, if you haven’t already!
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl
This film stars Janhvi Kapoor as IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena, and Pankaj Tripathi plays Gunjan’s supportive father. Watch this movie solely for Pankaj Tripathi’s performance. His subtle display of emotions in this film, and the daughter-father bond portrayed is simply beautiful. So much so, that the real Gunjan Saxena lauded his performance and wrote, “Father daughter duo. Respect @pankajtripathi .. You nailed it… Kudos…. The most simplistically portrayed father daughter bonding.”
Kaagaz
Kaagaz is based on the life of Lal Bihari, who is declared dead as per official records. This Pankaj Tripathi film shows his journey as he sets out to prove his existence. Pankaj Tripathi plays the lead role in this film and his stellar acting has convinced us that no one could have played the role better!
Masaan
Masaan stars Vicky Kaushal, Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chadha, Vineet Kumar, and Shweta Tripathi in pivotal roles. In this critically acclaimed film, Pankaj Tripathi essays the role of the shy Sadhya ji, who manages to befriend Devi (Richa Chadha). He had a small role and only a few scenes in the film, but thanks to his brilliant performance, this role remains one of his most memorable ones.
Pankaj Tripathi Web Series
Apart from Bollywood movies, Pankaj Tripathi has also made a mark in the web space with his remarkable performances. You are missing out on some really amazing content on OTT if you haven’t watched Pankaj Tripathi’s web series yet!
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is a crime thriller legal drama web series which is based on a British series of the same name. Pankaj Tripathi plays the role of a criminal lawyer Madhav Mishra who keeps looking for clients and lands this high-profile case which no one wants to take up. Once again, Pankaj Tripathi has played the character flawlessly and makes it completely his own!
Watch it on: Disney+ Hostar
Sacred Games
Having seen very little of Pankaj Tripathi’s character Guruji in season 1 of Sacred Games, he returned with a bigger and prominent role in season 2. Played by Pankaj Tripathi at a time where his acting skills were the talk of the town, his performance certainly surpassed all our expectations. Guruji is shown to be the mastermind behind the chain of events, making him the most pivotal character in the second season of the revered show.
Watch it on: Netflix
Mirzapur
Pankaj Tripathi’s character Kaleen bhaiya in Mirzapur gained a lot of popularity, and for good reason. This Amazon Prime Video series follows the life of Kaleen bhaiya, a millionaire carpet exporter and the mafia don of Mirzapur. Pankaj Tripathi has immortalized the character and made it his own, to the point that we can’t imagine anyone else playing the role. From his dialogue delivery, to control over his expressions, the actor left everyone in awe with his amazing acting skills!
Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video
A list of Pankaj Tripathi’s movies and web series would be a long one. However, the ones mentioned above are some of his best performances. In a recent interview, he spoke about the things he has learned through his journey, and it is sure to resonate with all of us. He said, “It’s very difficult to bring out the gist. But if I’ve to say one, it would be to always keep the hope within you alive. Sab kuch hota hai, bas waqt lagta hai.” Pankaj Tripathi deserves all the recognition he has got, and more!
Featured Image: IMDb
