Hindustan Times (Amritsar)

Pankaj Tripathi’s new-found love for social media

- Kavita Awaasthi ■ kavita.awaasthi@htlive.com

For someone who has remained elusive on social media for the longest time, Pankaj Tripathi has evidently taken to it well. Weeks into the lockdown, the actor kickstarte­d a Facebook live series where he narrated some heartfelt slice-of-life stories based on his own experience­s.

Over the weeks, the video has been watched by many of his fans, who love him as he is one of the most well-spoken and articulate actors, says a source, adding “Tripathi is a common man’s success story and his stories have a familiar quality to them that resonates with all. It’s surprising to see him take the leap to social media, a platform he strategica­lly stayed away from for the longest part of his career. In fact, he started his Instagram page earlier this year because someone was posting fake messages through a fake account and it became absolutely essential for him to put an official word out there. Interestin­gly, Tripathi has now been enjoying interactin­g directly with fans.”

Talking about his experience, the actor shares, “Every platform has its pros and cons. I had assumed that the chaos of social media will consume so much of my mind space that it will make me focus on irrelevant things. But ever since the lockdown was announced, and I started my series, I’ve found a different side of social media. I’ve been interactin­g with cinephiles and film buffs, who have given me some interestin­g feedback on my work as well. On the live sessions, I have been seeing more and more viewers who want to discuss art and stories.

I was unaware of this side of the world and have finally realised what it means when we say technology has made the world a smaller place. And I can assuredly say, it’s not at all bad. I’ve been enjoying talking to people from all walks of life and have realised the far-reaching impact of art. It, in fact, makes me want to work harder and be part of more stories that leave an indelible mark on people.”

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Pankaj Tripathi

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