Actor Pankaj Tripathi has revealed why he intentionally slowed down after a phase of relentless back-to-back work. In an interview, he said monotony had begun to seep in—despite the variety of roles—prompting him to take a step back and reassess what he truly wants from his craft.
“Boredom and Fatigue Had Crept In”
Tripathi explained that constant shoots eventually stopped feeling creatively fulfilling. He described the phase as one where “a sense of boredom and fatigue” set in, and he wasn’t enjoying the work the way he used to.
From Quantity to Choice
The bigger shift, he suggested, is philosophical: he no longer wants to say yes out of pressure or momentum. As he put it, he wants to leave home only for stories that excite him—adding that he’s in a stage where he acts for “excitement and artistic satisfaction,” not for “EMI and survival.”
Staying Connected to the Craft
Even as he recalibrates, Tripathi has continued to stay close to performance—recently returning to theatre after a long gap with a cameo in the musical comedy Lailaaj, a production that also features his daughter Aashi.
What’s Next
Tripathi has signaled that he’s reading scripts again—but with a stricter filter than before. The pause, he suggests, wasn’t about retreating; it was about protecting the one thing that makes his performances land: sincerity.
— By Manoj H