Pankaj Tripathi: People think agar aapko success chahiye, toh English bolni padhegi, varna aap failure ho

Pankaj Tripathi insists on talking in Hindi. It’s not that he doesn’t know English; he simply prefers to communicate in Hindi. The actor is quick to refute the idea that success in life is impossible for someone who does not speak English.

“That’s the colonial mindset, especially in north India,” he says, explaining, “Mindset is that ‘agar success paani hai, toh aapko angrezi aani chahiye, varna failure ho jaaoge’. English elite ki bhaasha samajh baithe, jabki woh toh colonial language hai. Cool aur educated lagne ke liye voh maap-dand ban gaya hai. People think ‘Angrezi bol raha hai, padha-likha hoga’.”

The 46-year-old, who made his debut in the Hindi film industry in 2004 with the film, Run, goes on, “Language is only a mode of communication, not a parameter of how much knowledge one has. Woh hangover hat jaana chahiye.”

Ask the Mimi (2021) actor what the scenario is like in the industry, as in, do people speak in Hindi or English on sets, and which language does he get scripts in, and he shares that he has never been made to feel awkward about choosing to speak in Hindi. “I can’t generalise and say everyone speaks Hindi, but the majority do. Two-three percent, who belong to important departments on a set, speak in English. Earlier, I’d get my scripts in English, and I wasn’t in a position to ask for them in only Hindi. So, I’d write all my dialogues in that, as it is easier for me to memorise. Today, I only get my scripts in Hindi,” ends the National Award-winning actor.