Actor Pankaj Tripathi finds himself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions as he basks in the glory of his second National Film Award win while simultaneously mourning the loss of his father, Pandit Banaras Tiwari, who died earlier this week. The versatile actor clinched the prestigious Best Supporting Actor, for his exceptional portrayal in the digitally released film Mimi (2021). This achievement comes after his earlier triumph with the National Film Award – Special Mention for his remarkable performance in Newton (2017).

In an emotional interview, he expresses, “This is babuji’s blessing. Agar woh aaj hote toh woh bahut khush hote. He would have been very proud and the happiest. When I got my first National Film Award, he was over the moon. Today, I miss him, but I am sure he would be happy with my achievement. This is his blessing and it is dedicated to him.”

Although his father hailed “from a world distant from the glamour of cinema”, he grasped the significance of a National Film Award, shares Tripathi: “He knew the prestige it comes with as we get it from our President. He didn’t know how the industry works, what I do here, but when I won my first award, he understood it because he knew that my performance has been acknowledged by the nation.”

Tripathi’s gratitude extended to the team behind Mimi, directed by Laxman Utekar. Notably, his co-star Kriti Sanon secured her first National Film Award in the Best Actress category for her role in the film. He ends, “I don’t know how the award will impact my career. I have always worked on a project with honesty. I want to thank the whole team involved.”