Pankaj Tripathi Initially Refused Mimi, Says Wife Convinced Him To Take The Role

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Pankaj Tripathi reveals he initially turned down Mimi until his wife convinced him to reconsider. The role went on to earn him a National Award.
With the return of the much-anticipated fourth season of Criminal Justice, actor Pankaj Tripathi once again steps into the role of Madhav Mishra, the endearing and sharp-witted lawyer navigating complex cases in the Indian judicial system. As the series premieres on OTT, Tripathi appeared in IMDb's exclusive segment 'The Essential Guide,' offering audiences a rare window into the key moments that shaped his career, the stories behind his most iconic performances, and what he sees as the pillars of his evolution in the digital entertainment space.
Reflecting on his time filming Raavan, Tripathi revealed, 'I enjoyed my feminine side while shooting for Raavan. During the filming, I wore a saree, with makeup, and sat on set for seven days. Even in my village, I had dressed up as a girl for the first play in my life. I haven't had the opportunity to play a character like that on screen again, but if it comes, the opportunity would be interesting."
He also shared a deeply personal story about a photo with his parents. 'In villages, there is no such culture of taking pictures. I had a mobile back then and requested a child nearby to click a picture of me with my parents. It was the first opportunity in my life when I got to place my hand on my father's shoulder, as such acts weren't followed in my village. In my house, no one knew what films were. No one used to read film magazines either and in fact there was no electricity there till 2016-17. I had told my family that I'm going to study theatre at NSD, post which I will become a professor. They thought I would get into teaching post my education there, so they agreed to let me go."
Speaking about how the industry came to acknowledge his versatility, Tripathi said, 'Neeraj Ghaywan helped me change my image from an aggressive man which I had got through Gangs of Wasseypur. People were surprised through Masaan that I can play a soft character as well. Both films – Gangs of Wasseypur and Masaan helped the industry realise that I am a versatile actor. Then Nil Battey Sannata helped the industry understand that I can even play a comic role too. I played a sincere school principal who wanted to help students move ahead in life. The film is a serious comedy. It was Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's first film. She gave me the freedom to play the character the way I want and thus people got acquainted with the fact that I can do comedy as well."
Tripathi also recalled the moment he learned he had won a National Award for his work in Newton. 'I had a lot of fun filming Newton. Though I was fed up with lower back pain that I was dealing with at the time. Under the uniform I wore, I used to wear an orthopedic belt and kept it on during the entire filming. The film gave me my first National Award. I'll always be thankful and cherish that. I was with Saurabh Shukla and Anubhav Sinha, we were shooting in Lucknow. Saurabh sir then checked his phone and pointed it towards me saying that I won a National Award. I thought he was joking initially as we weren't aware that the announcement was that day. I went running to my room as I didn't have my phone. When I reached, there were around 30-35 missed calls. Some media folks, some from the fraternity. It was an emotional moment and I shed a few tears. I called my wife and informed her. It was always my dream to win a National Award for cinema, I was emotional for a few days thereafter."
Looking back on Bareilly Ki Barfi, Tripathi shared, 'I was quite fit then, so I had to wear a bodysuit under a sweater to look heavier. Many girls approached me after the film sharing that they made their fathers watch it and through the movie, their equation with them changed."
He also reflected on the characters that shaped his digital career. 'Guruji in Sacred Games, Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur and Madhav Mishra in Criminal Justice. While acting, I feel that I should just keep thinking and it should transform into an expression that defines the character."
Finally, speaking about Mimi, a film he initially declined, Tripathi said, 'I initially didn't want to do Mimi. Dinesh Vijan and Laxman Utekar called my wife, asking her to convince me. I gave in and did the film. It was a great experience to be a part of this movie that is amongst the most viewed films on OTT. Kriti and I both received National Awards for the film. It wasn't just a supporting role, it was something else altogether."
As Madhav Mishra returns to our screens in Criminal Justice: Season 4, Tripathi's journey from village plays to national acclaim stands as a testament to perseverance, range, and the quiet power of letting characters speak for themselves. His stories not only reflect his humility and depth as an artist, but also highlight the subtle, transformative power of authenticity in Indian cinema.
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