Showing posts with label Mridula Tripathi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mridula Tripathi. Show all posts
Keep the expensive seats if you want, but don’t make theatre exclusive-Pankaj Tripathi
9:52 AM
Komal RJ Panchal (MID-DAY; July 31, 2026)
So much of our lives passes by in front of a screen. Work, education, entertainment — it’s all happening through screens. For Pankaj Tripathi, that just won’t do. The actor wants us to put our phones down and go back to the oldest form of storytelling — theatre.
In November 2025, Tripathi founded the theatre company, Roopkatha Rangmanch, with his wife Mridula Tripathi. Their first production, Lailaaj, premièred in 2025, marking the actor’s return to the stage after a 12-year hiatus. Since then, Lailaaj has attracted a wide range of viewers; some arriving because they have admired his films, others because they are theatre enthusiasts. Either way, Tripathi is happy that Mumbai is giving theatre a thought.
“Many people come because they know me from films. For some, this is their first theatre experience. Afterwards, they tell me they never imagined theatre could be like this. People sometimes assume serious theatre must be difficult to understand,” he told mid-day.
One of the biggest battles has been fighting the perception that theatre is expensive. To address that, Tripathi insisted on keeping a significant number of tickets priced as low as Rs 200 for every performance.
“People told me it wouldn’t work because theatre productions are expensive. But I said that we are not doing theatre for profit. We are doing it to give back to theatre, and build a new audience.”
The gamble has paid off. “Those Rs. 200 tickets sell out first every single time,” he smiled.
According to the actor, such gestures help remove invisible barriers. Give it time and it may even make theatre a habit for Mumbaiites. “Keep the expensive seats if you want, but don’t make theatre exclusive. Let young people come. Once they experience live performance, they will come back,” he promised.
A glimpse of this was seen recently when videos surfaced online of audiences braving Mumbai’s heavy rains to watch Lailaaj. He beamed, “People forgot that there was another world outside the auditorium. Inside, they were simply enjoying themselves.”
The project has also become a family affair. Tripathi’s daughter, Aashi, has become an active part of Roopkatha Rangmanch. “She wanted to attend a theatre workshop and gradually became involved. Lailaaj is her second play with our group,” said the proud father.
Lailaaj was followed by The Just, a play set in pre-Independence India. As both plays travelled across the country, the theatre company established an unusual practice of double-casting actors. The reason? “If any actor gets a film or TV project, they shouldn’t have to leave that opportunity because of a theatre commitment. We have two actors for every role, so no one’s journey stops,” explained Tripathi.
A thoughtful move that summarises why Tripathi started Roopkatha Rangmanch in the first place. “When I came to Mumbai nearly 25 years ago, I was looking for opportunities. Today, there are countless actors arriving in the city with the same dream. We wanted to create a platform for them,” he shared.
The theatre company was also his way of doing his bit for the medium that shaped him as an artiste. “Theatre has contributed immensely to my life. I learnt acting there, I learnt humanity there. My entire journey began on stage before cinema gave me fame and financial stability. Somewhere, I always felt I had to give back to the medium.”
Pankaj Tripathi's daughter Aashi makes her first on-screen appearance with Rang Daaro music video
10:18 AM
As his daughter Aashi makes her first on-screen appearance in the single Rang Daaro, actor Pankaj Tripathi is eager to see her journey in the acting world
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 18, 2025)
Following in her father Pankaj Tripathi’s footsteps, Aashi Tripathi harbours ambitions of becoming an actor. Even as the 18-year-old is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Arts at a Mumbai college, she has taken her first step towards the goal by appearing in the music video, Rang Daaro. The single, composed by Abhinav R Kaushik, sees Aashi as a painter’s muse.
Kaushik first reached out to Mridula Tripathi to check if her daughter Aashi would feature in the video. When Mridula ran the idea past Pankaj, he supported the decision. Now, as the single—which was shot last week at an Andheri studio—has been released, Pankaj is beaming with pride.
“Seeing Aashi on screen was an emotional and proud moment for both of us. She has always been passionate about performing arts, and watching her deliver such natural expressions in her very first project was truly special,” shares the actor.
Finding one’s footing in the movie industry is not easy, but Pankaj is eager to see his daughter chart her own path, as he says, “If this is her first step, I can’t wait to see where her journey takes her.”
The actor credits his wife for finding the perfect maiden project for their daughter. Mridula adds, “When the opportunity came, I wanted to ensure that Aashi did something that aligned with her artistic sensibilities. Rang Daaro is a soulful project, and seeing her bring the emotions to life on screen was heart-warming.”
(From left) Aashi Tripathi and Prabhakar Swami in the single. Pics/Instagram
Pankaj Tripathi celebrates Durga Puja in Kolkata
7:38 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; October 7, 2019)
Pankaj Tripathi is one of the most sought-after actors, both on the big screen and the digital platform, and is busy juggling between the two. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his priorities right. Every year during Navratri, he takes a day off work to spend time with wife Mridula in Kolkata to celebrate Durga Puja. It’s a tradition they started as a young couple when they’d go pandal hopping, eat local food at stalls and attend Aarti on Mahaashtami day. Even this year, the Mirzapur actor will be in the City of Joy for the festival. He is hoping to explore a few unusual places there, and mostly rest it out in the company of family and friends, before the next surge of work.
Pankaj believes that rejuvenation helps hone an artiste’s bag of tricks and tropes, and after every break, he feels enthused to work with vigour.
“It’s a tradition we have maintained for so many years. It reminds me of simpler times and every trip to Kolkata during Durga Puja makes me feel blessed. I love attending the Durga Ashtami Aarti. So, if I am not shooting abroad, I make it a point to go there. It’s been a long journey this far and these are the elements that have been instrumental in making me who I am,” says Pankaj.
After wrapping up the shoot of his next, ’83, the actor will start filming Mimi, which reunites him with his Bareilly Ki Barfi co-star Kriti Sanon. We hear, the film will go on floors next month.
Pankaj Tripathi with wife Mridula
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)