Exclusive/ Surviving To Thriving: How OTT catapulted Pankaj Tripathi To Stardom

Pankaj Tripathi, who is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Main Atal Hoon, the biopic of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, talked about the turning point of his two-decade-long acting career. The actor, who made his feature film debut with an uncredited role in Kannada-language drama Chigurida Kanasu (2003), gave credit for his success in the industry to OTT platforms. He said the web shows like Mirzapur and Sacred Games changed his life for the better and paved the way for more acting opportunities. 

Pankaj Tripathi opens up about the turning point in his career 

In an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on Nation Wants To Know, Tripathi said that the rise in streaming made him a household name. Talking about the projects that turned the tide for him, the actor named his 2017 film Newton and web shows like Mirzapur and Sacred Games. 

He said, “After the introduction of OTT my career saw a significant jump. I did a film Newton in 2017, which got me my first National Award. It was a small release but it worked at the box office and also became the Indian entry for Oscars that year. It made my presence felt in the industry and people started talking about me. However, the bigger turning point was my stints on OTT web shows.” 

Tripathi further added that the rise in streaming services democratised the content landscape compared to the movies, and actors like him benefitted. “Around the release of Newton, OTT also came to India. I did Mirzapur on Prime Video and Sacred Games on Netflix. After OTT, the screens became more democratic compared to cinemas. The content reached people’s living rooms through television and was then in their pockets through mobile phones which increased our audience. OTT has changed my life exponentially. Because of this, an actor like me got the recognition after working in the industry for more than 10 years.” 

'Brands began approaching me after Mirzapur'

Talking about the road he has had to traverse and the challenges he faced in his career, Tripathi said that despite acclaimed performances in Masaan and Nil Battey Sannata, his fight for ‘survival’ in the industry persisted until the late 2010s.

Asked what was the turning point for him, Tripathi said, “It was after Newton, and then Mirzapur that brands began approaching me, there were hoardings all over the city.” Tripathi added he is today the brand ambassador for 27 brands. But just like his films, he said, “I am very careful about what to endorse."

Meanwhile, Tripathi's upcoming release Main Atal Hoon will hit the big screens on January 19.