Don't want to do regional films due to language barrier: Pankaj Tripathi

Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi hinted that he is not open to the idea of working in regional films or shows. The Mirzapur actor clarified that he does not like the idea of working in a movie or show made in a language he is not "comfortable with". He also is not in favour of being dubbed by a voice artist.

"I don't like the idea of speaking in a language I am not comfortable with in any film or web series. I'm not in favour of my dialogues being mouthed by someone else".

The actor further explained that his expressions are complemented by his voice. Being dubbed by another will make his "role incomplete". He was answering a question about the possibility of working in a Bengali movie.

When asked about his knowledge of the Bengali language, he said he can speak a little bit of Bengali but it is not sufficient for portraying a Bengali-speaking character. He added that he will do a Bengali movie if he is cast as a Hindi-speaking character. "I am looking forward to being approached with a storyline to my liking by any of the current crop of talented directors of Bengal," said Tripathi.

The 45-year-old actor is known for his versatility. He is most popular for movies like Stree, Gurgaon, Ludo, and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. However, his most iconic work is considered to be the Amazon Prime Video web series Mirzapur.

He will be next seen in filmmaker Srijit Mukherji's Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga which is to be released on Friday. The plot is inspired by the true events from the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. In the infamous tiger practice, elders of the family sacrifice themselves to tigers so that their families can benefit from the government scheme promised to help the family of tiger attack victims.

Tripathi said the role was easy for him because he knows the people of the village and he was immediately hooked on the idea.