Pankaj Tripathi doesn't believe his acting has a type: '10 paintings from a painter look similar from afar'

Hindustan Times

03-06-2025

Pankaj Tripathi is Madhav Mishra once again. The actor has returned as the beloved lawyer for the fourth time in the new season of Criminal Justice. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, the actor opens up about returning to the character and avoiding being typecast.
The fourth season of Criminal Justice, titled A Family Matter, sees Madhav Mishra fighting his toughest case yet. Talking about returning to the familiar character, Pankaj says, "It is a bit like meeting an old friend, too, and also like remembering something you once studied." Ask him about how he makes sure the character does not fall prey to repetition, and Pankaj replies, 'That is all due to the writing. As an actor, you can pick the best available path to portray a character. There, as a choice, you can avoid the cliches and pandering to the audience.'
Madhav Mishra is a role that he has played the most number of times on screen. But his critics argue that a little bit of Pankaj Tripathi in most roles he does. The actor addresses that and says, "There is a problem in our Hindi film industry that in the days of struggle, there is no work. There were 2-3-year periods between 2004 and 2012 when I did not even face a camera. I could not shoot. After that, I got some small roles, and slowly, I became bigger. A lot of offers came my way. Jab bhookh zyada lagi ho to over-eating karna sambhav hai (When you are famished, there is a possibility of over-eating). So, I overate. I did a lot of work. That creates the challenge of keeping things different. You try, that's all you can do."
But he does not agree that all his roles are similar. "If you look at 10 paintings from one painter from afar, they look similar, because he has his own style. But the moment you go closer, you see minor differences. That is my effort too, to bring that minor difference," argues Pankaj, adding, "The important thing is to work less. But when you do a lot of work, my effort is not to lose my touch that the audience likes, but the characters still feel different."
Criminal Justice: A Family Matter also stars Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen, Asha Negi, Khushboo Atre, Mita Vashisht, and Shweta Basu Prasad. The first three episodes of the season premiered on JioHotstar on May 29, with one releasing every week subsequently.