'One should not get into acting just for money and fame'

One of the finest actors working in the Hindi film industry today is Pankaj Tripathi. From featuring in a blink-and-miss role in 'Run' (2004) to headlining mainstream projects like 'Mirzapur', 'Ludo', 'Kaagaz' and 'Criminal Justice', the 47-year-old, who hails from a village in Bihar, has come a long way.

In a tete-a-tete during the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Pankaj got candid about his journey so far and how he reached the pinnacle of his career with no godfather in the industry.

"I come from a very simple family. I belong to a village where we even struggled to get the basic facility of electricity, but we were happy. I was living far from the world of acting and now my entire life is all about acting. My love for cinema developed organically. I used to watch plays in my hometown. That's when I actually developed a major interest in theatre and then I moved to Delhi and joined the National School of Drama (NSD). After a few years, I went to the city of dreams Mumbai and since then I have been learning the craft of cinema and trying my best to showcase my skills via my acting on screen. This journey is beyond any dream I saw," Pankaj said.

He feels it's his roots that helped him carve a niche in the film industry.

"One should never forget his/her roots. If you forget your roots, then it becomes difficult to survive. Be it a person or a story or a plant, everything in this world is rooted. Whatever I am today is all because of my roots," Pankaj emphasised.

As today many young aspiring actors look up to Pankaj as their role model, he shared a golden piece of advice for all.

"One should never get into this profession only for money and fame. First, understand why you want to come here (to the film industry). Understand your love and needs. Money will eventually come to you at one point," he added, recalling his first paycheck.