Pankaj Tripathy : “I Am Not A Fan Of Dilip Kumar Saab”

Pankaj Tripathy Comes Clean On His Reaction To The  Death Of The Thespian & Surekha Sikri

Pankaj Tripathy  was deeply moved by the death of Surekha Sikri. “Her going meant  a part of my life was gone. I  attended the Nation School Of Drama where  she was  a legend  by the  time I  came in.We spoke of her  like  some invisible myth. As though her greatness as an actor was  part of acting mythology.”

Pankaj Tripathy  desisted  from joining the  public mourners. “When Surekhaji   died   I didn’t  put my  sorrow on social media. Aaj kal toh   agar aap apne jazbaat ko social media  pe nahin daalte toh unka koi matlab hi nahin(nowadays  if you don’t put your emotions  on  social media they don’t mean anything). But I didn’t want my feelings for  Surekhaji to be   put  on  display.I don’t need  that kind of legitimacy. ”

Pankaj Tripathy  says he  was  very disturbed  by Surekhaji’s   lack of work  opportunities. “I believe she had to audition for her last role in  Badhaai  Ho. To hear this was heartbreaking. Imagine  a stalwart  like Surekhaji having to  audition like  a  newcomer. And yet she did it  like  a thorough professional.I salute her passion.”

Pankaj Tripathy  known for his transparency and honesty confesses he was not affected by Dilip Kumar’s death. “I didn’t know his work. I haven’t seen  his films. So how can  I be affected? Of course  I know we lost a great  actor. But by the time I came in he had quit acting.  I have only seen his Saudagar which came in the 1990s. Otherwise only bits  and  pieces that come on  television.”

There is  a valid reason for  Pankaj’s ignorance of Dilip Saab’s   histrionics. “When I  was growing up, my village  Belsand  in  Bihar  had no movie theatres . I  had no exposure to  the movie- theatre experience  until I  was  an adult.I  admire and identify  more with  Irrfan.”