‘People tell me they love my work, then ask my name’

Actor Pankaj Tripathi (right) has been a part of popular films such as Agneepath (2012), Gangs of Wasseypur I & II (2012) and Fukrey (2013). Despite being a known face, more often than not, people tend to ask him his name but that doesn’t bother him.

He explains, “I have been in the industry for many years now, but people still come up to me and say ‘Sir, you’re such a good actor, we loved watching you in that movie. What’s your name?’ While any other actor might get offended, I don’t mind this at all.”

He believes in letting his work do the talking. “Naam mein kya hai? People can forget your name, but if you excel at what you do, at least someone will remember you,” he says. He adds that people have to Google to see who he is. However, he feels there’s a positive side to this as well. “The very fact that people make an effort to search and know more about me is a testament that I am doing my job well,” he says.

He is now gearing up to act alongside actor Rajinikanth in the upcoming multilingual film Kaala Karikalan, where he will play the role of a policeman. Pankaj is all praises for the 66-year-old actor. He says, “Rajinikanth is a legend for me. His reallife is a far-cry from the larger-than-life roles he plays on screen. Extremely humble, he believes in simplicity. The only reason I took up this role was to see this great man from close quarters.”