Pankaj Tripathi: "Criticism is a good thing, but when it comes to critics, I try to understand how serious they are"

Pankaj Tripathi in 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga', which released on June 24 2022. (Screen grab)

In his latest release Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga, Pankaj Tripathi plays Gangaram, a man willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of his floundering village. The Srijit Mukherji-directed film tackles a number of issues, including man-animal conflict and poverty, with a dose of dark humour.

Tripathi, who will soon be seen in OMG: Oh My God 2 as well as the upcoming seasons of the web series Mirzapur and Criminal Justice, spoke about Sherdil and more. Excerpts from an interview:

Besides the script, did you undertake any further preparation for this role?

It’s a tricky subject and we had to find a balance between realism and entertainment. I have given quite a few inputs. For example, I know a forest service officer and nature lover, and I spoke to him a lot. He has also been director of some national parks. I heard his anecdotes and stories about the jungle and about man-eaters. I shared the information with Srijit. I like to improvise. Here, too, Srijit let me do it my way and captured those variations to see what emerges. The script is a guideline. We would go into the jungle (in North Bengal) and decide where we should shoot.

What is the core theme of the film?

I would say the core theme is how far would you go to save your family and community. Everything else is happening in the shadow of this. His personal conflict later becomes a social conflict and then the film looks at what happens and how. It’s a very big thing for a man to think of sacrificing his life.

What was it like working with Srijit Mukerji?

It was very nice. He’s made many Bangla films. He’s an accomplished and renowned filmmaker. It’s nice to work with directors of different generations and from different regions.

Have you ever seen a tiger in the wild?

Yes, in fact just recently I was in Panna National Park. We had gone on a boat trip in the river when we saw two tigers sitting on the riverbank. It was a very nice sighting. We saw other animals too. When I see animals, the actor in me gets awakened. I start understanding their instincts and body language. Each one is different - some are slow, some fast, some filled with questions, some live in fear. Animal instinct is part of what we learn in acting school: how do you bring animal instinct to your character. Not just animals, but I also look at the instincts of trees. From my house I can see a coconut tree. One day I was observing the tree and I thought about how much it gives – coconut for prayer rituals, coconut water, we make rope, brooms and mattresses from it, it gives us oil. One tree gives so much and takes what - just air, water and a little bit of space.

Are you open to criticism and feedback?

Criticism is a good thing but when it comes to the critic, I first try to understand how serious they are. Film is such a medium that every viewer cannot be satisfied. When I did Luka Chuppi (2019), many critics criticised my character of Babulal but the general audience loved Babulal. So I too don’t know how to filter these opinions. Having said that, I am fortunate to have received very little criticism. Most people seem to understand my work and characters. I try to do complicated things with simplicity so my performance can be understood without needing to understand a whole lot of other things, whether you have studied film and art appreciation or not.

Does learning ever stop?

I think a lot about craft and about life. I am always in self-assessment and self-exploration mode. My understanding of something gets more refined this year compared to the last, and then the next year it will get even more refined. I am open to the fact that I may be wrong or I may do wrong. I listen to all opinions carefully, take them in and for a few days I think about whether that opinion was right or wrong. I must understand more, and that is a constant.