Why Does Pankaj Tripathi Support Arijit Singh, Zakir Khan's Exit From Limelight?

National

award winning singer Arijit Singh recently left his fans heartbroken with his decision to take retirement from playback singing. Just when fans were reeling with his decision, stand-up comedian Zakir Khan announced taking a break and stepping away from limelight. While Arijit hinted at stepping away from playback singing for creative reasons, Zakir said his decision was driven by health concerns. Now, Pankaj Tripathi has come out in support of the two artists and shared his two cents. The Ludo actor also stated taking time off is necessary for artists and closely tied to mental well-being.

Why did Pankaj Tripathi support Arijit Singh, Zakir Khan's decision to step away from limelight?

In an interview with NDTV, Pankaj Tripathi shared that artist needs breaks to reinvent themselves. "This is a demanding profession, and slowing down is important if you want to do something meaningful."He also shared that artists are not factory products and artists are not like matchboxes made in thousands every day. He added that the journey to success comes with constant pressure and sacrifice. “There’s a lot of running around. Every actor struggles to reach where they are. You should feel excited about going to set, and that excitement keeps changing with time.”

The actor recalled a phase when he was doing multiple projects each year. In 2017 alone, he had seven releases, including Newton, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Fukrey Returns and Gurgaon. Last year, however, he appeared in just one film, Metro… In Dino, and one series, Criminal Justice: A Family Matter. The slowdown, he said, helped him reconnect with the basics of his craft.

Pankaj Tripathi endorses living "slow life" but...

He said that although he often spoke about living a slow life, he ended up moving at a fast pace, especially before and after Covid. Over time, he realised that an actor needs to be careful about where they invest their energy. With fewer liabilities now, he wants to associate only with stories that genuinely excite him. Working continuously for 30 days, he admitted, can be exhausting, and he was feeling drained.Further explaining his decision, Tripathi compared the experience to overeating, where the impact is realised only after some time. He felt he was working more than necessary and believed that the audience should also be made to wait for his next project. He added that he acts to live, not lives to act, and having experienced the fast life, he now wants to embrace a slower pace.

Pankaj Tripathi endorses mental health awareness

Recently, the Mirzapur actor also associated himself as a presenter with the YouTube web series Perfect Family, directed by Ajay Rai. He said he backed the project purely because he believed in its theme. Starring Gulshan Devaiah, Girija Oak Godbole, Manoj Pahwa, Seema Pahwa and Neha Dhupia, the series follows the Mehra family as they turn to family therapy.

The actor said that mental health awareness is still lacking in society and that shows like this can help start important conversations. He noted that small things often affect people deeply without them even realising it. Pankaj added that he neither invested money in the project nor earned any profit from it, and that his name was only meant to assure viewers that the show was worth their time.

What's keeping Pankaj Tripathi busy?

On the professional front, the actor is set to reunite with filmmaker Priyadarshan for an untitled comedy and will reprise his popular role of Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur The Movie. He is also returning to theatre after 12 years with the musical comedy play Lailaaj. The play will feature a cameo by Tripathi alongside his daughter, Aashi Tripathi, and it will mark their first performance together on stage. Lailaaj will premiere at Mumbai’s Rangsharda on February 8.