Pankaj Tripathi on actor fees - 'Primary criteria for acting is not money'

Pankaj Tripathi is one of the most skilled and refined actors in the tinsel town of Bollywood. From 'Gangs of Wasseypur' to 'Sacred Games', Tripathi has showcased his acting mettle, versatility and range in several films and web series. He was last seen in 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga', which did not receive great responses.

He will now be seen in the third season of the much-loved and popular series 'Criminal Justice'. As Disney+ Hotstar's 'Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach' was released on August 26, Pankaj Tripathi connected with a leading daily and shared his thoughts on star fees.

In a chat with a leading media house, Tripathi was asked about the reassessment of actor fees post the pandemic. In reply to this, he shared his thoughts on star fees and how he sees it. He said that while happiness is the primary criterion for acting, it cannot help actors run their households.

"When someone hires us, they hire us physically, emotionally and mentally. Of course, while selecting scripts we see if we'll enjoy working on it or not. The primary criteria for acting is not money, it is happiness. But happiness alone will neither help me run my household nor will let me do things I want and need to do in life. I can't go to a store and tell the seller that give me goods, I'll give you happiness in return," he said.

Pankaj further talked about the social responsibility of actors as taxpayers.

"The government has contributed to our education. I trained at the National School of Drama (NSD). So, I pay my taxes as a responsibility to my profession and my country, so, like me, another young man from a very small village can also dream of becoming an actor and get training from other government-aided institutions. That's how I look at it," he shared.

In 'Criminal Justice', Pankaj Tripathi plays the role of a sharp yet humane lawyer.