Character ke preparation mein do-teen din lagte hain, lekin actor banne ke preparation mein 25-30 saal,” Pankaj Tripathi told students during a session at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav at the National School of Drama in New Delhi on Tuesday. He also engaged the audience with his witty remarks and to-the-point, humorous replies.

Pankaj said he’s often seen young actors who, after performing only a couple of plays, consider themselves to be ‘upcoming stars’ and go to Mumbai. When they find out that there is a huge difference between their expectations and reality, they become frustrated and start blaming everyone else for their problems.

He said, “Now, when I look back at the work I did ten years ago, when I graduated from the National School of Drama, I feel I was such a bad actor. I know that ten years later I will see my current work and I will think the same. Best actor bol kar kuch nahi hota. Acting ka koi parameter nahi hai, ki ‘yeh perfect actor hai’. It is a life-long learning process. Usain Bolt can be the best runner, but there is nothing called ‘the best’ in acting.”

“Acting is not wrestling, ki within six minutes you can defeat your opponent. Two actors together deliver a perfect scene, and there is no victory or loss,” Pankaj said, adding, “Before coming to NSD in 2004, I acted in plays for nine years in Patna. This journey has been of 25-30 years, and I can say that I am still learning.”

Pankaj spoke about the grind that young actors have to go through and how sometimes drama school students can feel a bit entitled. “In the digital world, everyone is an actor. Everyone is making reels. It is challenging for actors. Audition dene jao, toh pata chala mere mohalle ka chemist bhi aaya hua hai. When actors from drama school stand in those lines, they feel ‘(why) do I have to stand in this line with these people who are so beneath me?’.”

The actor had earlier said that he believes in the economy of gestures and tries to find ways to say the maximum with minimum effort. During this session, he also spoke about the trap of stereotyping in cinema. Though he has explored a lot of emotions and gestures for his different roles, when he now gets offers, the script often includes a particular gesture he is known for – like his iconic nod.

He says, “Log bolte hain – ‘payment zyada le lo, lekin wohi karo jo tumne uss mein kiya tha’. Cinema ka apna alag trap hai. Ek baar jo cheez hit ho gayi, wohi karwai jaati hai. Kai baar karte bhi hain, ki EMI dena hai ya jeevan mein zaroorat ho. Agar aap ye jaan kar role kar rahe hain ki karne ka purpose kya hai, toh theek hai. Purpose pata hona chahiye.”

Pankaj spoke about the pitfalls of stardom, where actors start considering themselves as gods. He said, “Cinema bahut jaldi dimag kharab karta hai. Shooting pe 200-400 log aa jaate hain, toh actor ko lagta hai ki main bahut powerful hoon. Cinema bhram (illusion) create karta hai, aur actor uss bhram mein padh ke khud ko ishwar samajhne lagta hai. Phir woh kissi aur track pe nikalne lagte hai. Jiss se actor ke art ka bhi nuksan hota hai.”

About his acting process, he emphasized that imagination is a vital tool for actors, and they must develop it.