Pankaj Tripathi: Criminal Justice 4 has definitely improved my bank balance

India Today

7 days ago

Pankaj Tripathi is back as lawyer Madhav Mishra in 'Criminal Justice Season 4'. Over the years, the show has become a fan favourite, and so has his character. Speaking to India Today, Tripathi opened up about the show's journey, his role, and how he's changed along the way.When asked if he has evolved just like his character, Tripathi joked, "Yes, the bank balance has definitely improved. I was just kidding - but it has happened. With time, you experience such things.'advertisementTripathi admits he's changed over the years, 'Earlier, I used to talk like a motivational speaker. Now, I feel there's a shortage of motivated people in India. So, I've become a motivational seeker. I listen more now. I feel like I've given enough gyaan (knowledge). Now, it's time to receive. This change has made me quieter. I even feel like giving fewer interviews."
He also admitted that no one expected Criminal Justice to become such a long-running show. "When the show began, we didn't expect it to become this big. The first season was really good. When I heard Sriram Raghavan was involved in writing it. I was impressed. I thought it was an interesting show. Jackie Shroff was there, Vikrant Massey was there - so I felt it had potential. But whether it will run or not, no one can tell with any project."advertisementHe added, 'Just a little while ago, someone was counting all the seasons and prequels I've been a part of. So I quietly began counting too. And I realised - I'm in three seasons of 'Mirzapur', four of 'Criminal Justice', three parts of 'Fukrey', two of 'Stree' (I forgot if there's a fifth), and a few more." Pankaj continued, "When Shweta (Basu Prasad) said this was her first chance to repeat a role, none of us knew during the first season that there would be a sequel. That's how our industry is—like a milking cow. As long as it keeps giving milk, we keep milking. These shows are still running, so we keep going. The day we get bored, or the audience does, or the viewership drops, the platforms themselves will say, 'Bas, that's enough.' But until then, we keep trying.'Tripathi is genuinely excited about the new season. He said, 'I remember when I heard the first episode of this season's story—I felt it had spark. The writer is new, a young guy, and he has written it really well. It felt fun and interesting. So it's not like we're just doing it for the sake of it. We're involved too. The audience has trust in us. Even if we go for four or five seasons, the day we feel it's done, we'll let it go. With the same warmth, Applause and Hotstar will say, 'Let's make something new.''advertisementTalking about his character, Madhav Mishra, he says he enjoys playing someone so real and flawed. "Very much. Life should be like that. I don't take acting too seriously—just like Madhav Mishra doesn't take law too seriously. In the courtroom, it may look like he's well-prepared, but the moment he starts speaking, you wonder where this is going. It feels like he didn't prepare anything and is just improvising on the spot. I do that deliberately—to keep it from looking too polished or rehearsed. I think that's what the audience connects with—that it feels like he's thinking on the spot, building the case in real-time. He's clever. He pretends not to be fully ready, but he knows exactly what to say and when to say it. It's a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed the domestic scenes with the wife. That part was reduced a bit this time. Those sequences used to be a lot of fun, one track going on in court, and a totally different one at home. The location changed, but the spirit remains."Criminal Justice Season 4 is now streaming on JioHotstar and stars Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, and Shweta Basu Prasad. You May Also Like