Pankaj Tripathi: You become calmer mentally when you watch a comedy film

A renowned artiste, Pankaj Tripathi is one to look out for. From his impeccable comic timing to hilarious mannerisms and witty characters – he has given multiple hits in recent times, namely Mirzapur, Sacred Games, Criminal Justice and Stree among many others, making him a valuable addition to any project he is part of.

With quite a few movies in his kitty at the moment, including Laal Singh Chaddha and Bachchan Pandey, his latest endeavour Mimi, has received acclaim from all segments of the audience. In the movie, he plays the role of a funny and endearing Bhanu, who comes up with the idea of surrogacy for Mimi, but also becomes her support when things go topsy-turvy.

In an exclusive chat with Indian Express, Pankaj Tripathi explained how the character came to be alive on the screen. Calling the script a well-written one, he expressed his gratitude for the guidance provided by director Laxman Uterkar. According to him, the experience of life has taught him many valuable learnings and it is from there, he extracts the realism of his characters. Pankaj Tripathi feels that there are thousands of rural stories from the roots of the nation, waiting to be explored.

When asked how a comedy movie with a message can impact the audience, Pankaj Tripathi responded by saying that comedy films can be seen as a form of meditation, as they leave an imprint on people’s minds effortlessly.

Clarifying his logic, he said that the purpose of meditation, to lose oneself in nothingness and entering a zone where the mind has no thoughts, can be achieved by watching comedy because when we laugh out aloud, for those 10 seconds, the brain has no other thought but happiness. “Films are a strong medium, why waste it only on entertainment. If you can convey a message in this way then why not?” he added.

Mimi marks Pankaj Tripathi’s third venture with Kriti Sanon, after Bareilly Ki Barfi and Luka Chuppi. With stars like Sai Tamhankar, Kriti Sanon, Supriya Pathak, Pankaj Tripathi, Evelyn Edwards, Aidan Whytock and Manoj Pahwa, Mimi is streaming now on Jio Cinema and Netflix.