Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1976-09-05
- Born Place: Belsand, Bihar, India
Also Known As:
पंकज त्रिपाठी
Pankaj Tripathi
Pankaj Tripathi (born 5 September 1976 in Belsand, Bihar) is a highly respected Indian actor known for his authentic and versatile performances in Hindi and regional cinema. He grew up in a modest family and trained at the National School of Drama before moving to Mumbai in 2004 to pursue his acting career. His early struggles included traveling in sleeper class trains and staying in inexpensive accommodations, which shaped his grounded approach to acting. Pankaj gained widespread recognition with his role as Sultan Qureshi in Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), which was a major breakthrough. He is also well-known for roles in Stree (2018), a horror-comedy hit where he played a local tailor named Rudra, and Super 30 (2019), a biographical drama. His work in ensemble films like Ludo (2020) further showcased his range. In Kaagaz (2021), he portrayed Lal Bihari, a man declared dead on paper, earning critical praise. He has won several awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Stree, the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, and the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actor in a Web Original Film for Criminal Justice. Upcoming projects include Main Atal Hoon (2025), a biopic where he will play former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Metro... In Dino (2025), an ensemble film directed by Anurag Basu. On the personal front, Pankaj Tripathi is married to Mridula, and their enduring relationship began during his hostel days when he would eagerly await her daily phone calls.
