Pankaj Tripathi Says He Never ‘Tried To Seek Sympathy’ After Panchayat Actor Pankaj Jha Accuses Him of Romanticising Struggles

Pankaj Jha, who turned heads with his performance in Panchayat, recently took an indirect jibe at Mirzapur actor Pankaj Tripathi for romanticizing his struggles. In response, Pankaj Tripathi, aka Kaleen Bhaiya, addressed the statement in an interview and said that he never tried to romanticise his struggles. He added that he just wanted people to be inspired by his story and never give up on their dreams.

During an interview with India Today, Pankaj Tripathi said he doesn’t pay heed to such comments. He elaborated, “I never romanticised my journey or struggles. Yes, I did mention that my wife used to earn while I looked for work. I never said that I would tie a gamcha (towel) on my waist and sleep outside Andheri station. I had a good and happy life when we moved to Mumbai. I have never tried to glamorize or seek sympathy for it.”

What Was Pankaj Tripathi’s Statement About ‘Struggles’

For those who may not know, Pankaj Tripathi once recounted the “slipper incident” on ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’. He revealed that while he was working at a hotel, Manoj Bajpayee stayed there as a guest. Bajpayee, known for his role in ‘Satya’, left his slippers behind, and Tripathi, being an ardent fan, took them home as a keepsake.

Pankaj Tripathi has been a major inspiration for others, including actors who hail from small cities in the country. However, he added that as humans, we often continue living without the intention of inspiring others. The actor said, “We live our own journeys and fight our own battles. When you read or hear these stories, some may get inspired. And even if they don’t, that’s not an issue. One has to just live their own lives the way they want.”

“I have also been influenced a lot by Om saab (Om Puri), Irrfan, or Manoj bhaiya (Manoj Bajpayee). I have definitely taken inspiration from them. Similarly, some may be motivated by my journey or someone else’s. We are all on our journeys, and if someone connects with some part of it, not necessarily in terms of acting and art, but in any way,” he added.

When Tripathi was asked if such allegations by other stars affect him, he said, “Not at all. I am not someone to get hurt. All this noise doesn’t affect me at all.”