Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 23, 2019)

Not too long ago, Pankaj Tripathi had told mid-day about his plan to set up a writers' retreat in his village, Gopalgunj. Even as he is giving shape to the creative hub, the actor is doing his bit to mentor writers. Turns out, Tripathi hosts an informal meet-up at his Madh Island address once every week where writers, both aspiring and successful, come together to share ideas and brainstorm over scripts.

A source says, "Even when people are not offering him parts, they sit with Pankaj to narrate their story ideas. Writers — including Varun Grover, Puneet Sharma, Nilotpal Mrinal and Gaurav Solanki — often brainstorm with him. Pankaj is enamoured by literature, and enjoys being introduced to worlds and stories he isn't familiar with."

Confirming the news, Tripathi says, "The process helps me to grow as an artiste because at the end of the day, an actor is a part of the larger process of communicating the same vision. The spirit of any film lies in the script, which is owned firstly by a writer. Actors are merely tools putting out that story in the world. It's a collaborative process of evolving together."