They say you can take a man out of Bihar but you can't take Bihar out of the man. Pankaj Tripathi loves making Bihari food. When he's not busy acting, which is increasingly rare these days, given his work load, you'd find him in the kitchen making Litti Chokha and other Bihari delicacies. He promises to feed me some scrumptious dishes if I ever drop by his place. He's a method actor who has assimilated himself seamlessly into both art and mart cinema. Roles are being written for him and he was even the lead in the sleeper hit OMG 2. Mirzapur Season 3 too is being appreciated. He's on a high alright and deservedly so. On a zoom call, we chat about his career and more. Excerpts:

WHEN YOU MOVED FROM BIHAR, DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT THERE ARE SUCH BIG STARS HERE, SO WHY WOULD SOMEONE BUY A TICKET TO SEE YOUR FILM?

(Laughs) When I moved from Bihar to Mumbai, I never once thought about the big stars here or whether people would buy tickets to see my films. Looking back now, maybe I should have. I remember the moment vividly when I was on the RORO Ferry from Mandwa, coming from Alibaug. It was a large boat and I stood on the rooftop deck watching the Mumbai skyline in the distance. I turned to my wife and wondered aloud why we had come to such a huge city.

Despite my initial doubts, we managed to establish ourselves here, which is truly wonderful. Sometimes I don't quite grasp it all, but then I believe it's a result of divine blessings. Countless aspiring actors arrive in Mumbai every day. Yet, I also believe that everyone’s circumstances are partly shaped by their own actions.

IN A FILMFARE INTERVIEW, SHARMILA TAGORE MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE HER FAVOURITE ACTOR AND SHE LOVES YOUR FILM MANGO TREES…