'Those Years Were a Seeding Process': Pankaj Tripathi on Why Success Couldn't Be Rushed

Before he became Kaleen Bhaiya, before Sultan Qureshi, before the National Award, there were years when Pankaj Tripathi wasn't waiting for fame. He was waiting for his season.

Looking back at the decade before Gangs of Wasseypur transformed his career, the actor says he never obsessed over success. Instead, he compares those years to a farmer sowing seeds, nurturing them patiently and trusting that the harvest would come when the time was right.

For many actors, the years before a breakthrough are remembered as years of struggle. Tripathi remembers them differently.

"They were a seeding process," he says.

Speaking to ANI, the National Award-winning actor reflected on the long road that eventually led him to Gangs of Wasseypur, the film that changed his life in 2012. His perspective, however, has little to do with frustration and everything to do with patience.

"I never felt I needed motivation to live my life," Tripathi said. "I was busy with my work. I wasn't getting opportunities to act, so I was preparing myself. I was learning my craft. Even today, I am still learning."

That mindset, he says, comes from growing up in a farming family in Bihar. In farming, no one plants a seed in the morning and expects fruit by evening.

"You sow a seed, nurture it under the right conditions and then wait for it to sprout," he said. "Those years were a seeding process. It went on for a long time. People expect fruits in four months. My seeding process simply took a little longer."

Instead of worrying about missed opportunities, Tripathi focused on discipline. He ran every day, meditated, read books and immersed himself in acting.

"I knew I was on the right track," he said. He believes arriving in Mumbai with very few expectations also became one of his greatest strengths.

"I didn't come to Mumbai with anything," he said. "Whatever happens here, I will receive it. Whether it is money, a career or simply experience."

Tripathi also credits a simple philosophy for helping him stay grounded through uncertain years. "I don't smoke. I don't have anger. I don't have hatred for anyone. And I don't fear failure," he said. "So, I knew I was doing fine."

Now regarded as one of India's finest actors, Tripathi says acting has ultimately taught him something far greater than fame.

Playing different characters helped him understand people, but more importantly, it taught him how difficult it is to truly understand oneself.

"An entire lifetime is not enough to know the truth," he reflected. "And the greatest truth is to know yourself."

The reflections come as Tripathi prepares to receive the Artist of Distinction honour at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026, his first international career award. He will also return to one of his most iconic roles as Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur: The Movie, releasing on September 4.

For Tripathi, however, the real lesson came long before the awards and applause. Some dreams don't bloom quickly. They first spend years becoming roots.

(With inputs from ANI)