Pankaj Tripathi has opened up the recent attack on his elder brother, Vijayendranath Tiwari, during a land dispute in Bihar’s Gopalganj. The actor, who rushed to Patna after the incident, says while it was painful, it has not shaken his faith in the justice system.

“I have a lot of affection for my family and we speak at least once every day. The incident did affect me, but I have full faith in the justice system. Hum log darne wale log nahi hai. Humne kisi ke liye sansar mein galat kiya hi nahi toh kiss baat ka darr. Woh apriya ghatna hai, and nothing else. Jeevan mein yeh sab ghatna chalti rehti hai,” he says.

On the work front, Tripathi will next be seen in Ohh My Dog, a film he chose to do without charging a fee. He has also returned to theatre after a 12-13-year hiatus with the musical La Ilaaj.

Talking about actors returning to theatre, he says, “That is because of screen fatigue. Today, everything is on a screen — films, reels, podcasts. Theatre offers a real experience, where humans perform for humans. We’ve already staged five-six shows in Mumbai, and have got a very good response,” he says.

Admitting he was nervous about returning to the stage after over a decade, Tripathi adds, “There are no retakes in theatre. You’re performing live, so there’s always the anxiety of getting every cue and dialogue right.”