Pankaj Tripathi has always been admired for his calm confidence, his gentle humour and the honesty he brings to every role. Yet behind the celebrated actor is a man who values humility, patience and growth, qualities he often credits to his early years in theatre. Those same qualities now guide him as he watches his daughter Aashi take her first steps into the world that shaped him. In many ways, her journey feels like an extension of his own, carrying forward a love for storytelling that runs deep in their family.
The actor is celebrating a special moment, as Aashi Tripathi made her stage debut last month with the play Lailaaj. The production holds emotional meaning for the Tripathi household, not just because of Aashi’s entry into acting but also because it marks the first play produced under Roopkatha Rangmanch, the theatre banner founded by Pankaj and his wife Mridula. Staged at Rangshila Theatre in Mumbai on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of November, the musical play received a warm and enthusiastic response.
Pankaj Tripathi shared that he did not watch Aashi perform as a protective father but as a fellow actor who understands the craft. He noticed her eagerness to learn and how quickly she adapted to feedback. By the third show, he said her performance had sharpened remarkably, something he admitted took him years to achieve when he was starting out. He believes today’s generation learns faster, even though the expectations and pressures they face can be intense.
Aashi, however, is still figuring out what she wants to do in the long run. She has not committed to acting as a full-time career yet and Pankaj Tripathi is in no rush to influence her decision. He feels children should be given complete freedom to explore their paths, even if it means trying, failing and trying again. According to him, such freedom builds confidence and resilience far better than any parental pressure.
Lailaaj, written, directed, composed and lyrically crafted by Faiz Mohammed Khan, was a vibrant mix of humour, music and heartfelt emotion. For Pankaj Tripathi, the play represents much more than a professional venture. Returning to theatre as a producer feels like life coming full circle, especially since theatre was where he discovered his voice and his discipline as an artist.
Speaking about Roopkatha Rangmanch, Pankaj Tripathi described it as an emotional extension of their roots. He recalled the early days of his theatre journey, backstage chaos, borrowed costumes, the nervous thrill of performing live and credited those experiences for shaping him into the actor he is today. Starting a banner with Mridula and choosing theatre for its first production felt, to him, like a tribute to the craft that taught him sincerity, patience and expression.
On the work front, Pankaj Tripathi was recently seen in Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino. He is currently filming the Mirzapur movie and the film Parivarik ManuRanjan with Aditi Rao Hydari, both slated for release in 2026.
