After a long time, Hindi cinema will see a dhoti-kurta-clad hero, says Pankaj Tripathi as we discuss the takeaways of his latest and perhaps the biggest role of his career. Playing Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a challenging exercise, but Tripathi says he identified with the understated resolve of the former Prime Minister. “It was slightly instinctive for me to understand his sensitive side and perhaps that’s why I was cast.”
Often seen as a liberal man in a conservative party, Vajpayee meant different things to different people at different points in history. For Tripathi, it was the “deeply democratic” nature of the man in “challenging situations” that left a mark. “He was clear in his head that everybody wouldn’t like him. He understood as one grows in nature, one should learn to endure. He would often say, ‘Don’t learn oratory from me; learn when to remain silent for in the fight between right and wrong, it is silence that often brings peace.’”
Perhaps, these are important lessons for those in power today, but Tripathi is wary of comparisons for he feels people, politics and parties change with time and advises to wait for the critics’ verdict on the intent of the film.
Edited excerpts from an interview:
What was your impression of Atal Bihari Vajpayee during your student days, and how did you react when you were selected to play him on the big screen?
He was my favourite leader. I remember listening to his speech in Patna in 1995-96. The crowds were so overwhelming that I could not go near him despite trying my best. It was like a wide-angle shot with Vajpayee-ji speaking and Shatrughan Sinha standing behind him. It was the first time I saw a film actor. Aage priya neta aur peechhe ek achche abhineta... at that time I was just getting by. I am not sure whether I had joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by then. I had yet to make up my mind about acting.
I had not even dreamt that one day I would get to play him. So, during the shoot when Raviji (director Ravi Jadhav) would say, take a tight close-up of Atalji, at the back of my mind, that wide-angle shot of Gandhi Maidan would play. Life shows different colours...
Biopics of political leaders are always fraught with the danger of getting reduced to hero worship, or a tool to push a political narrative...
We have tried to portray him as a person with as many complexities as can be put together in 120 minutes, so that the audience can take at least a sense of Vajpayee-ji’s big personality with them.
Pankaj Tripathi in ‘Main Atan Hoon’
In his centenary year, the film is about the journey of a little boy Atla who went on to become Atal Bihari Vajpayee, taking his party from two seats in Lok Sabha to forming the government. In the process, we have covered his personal, poetic and political side till 1999.
Every thought comes with a problem. People of each ideology believe that only they are right and others should believe in what they think is right. In art, however, intent is important. We have not made the film keeping in mind the socio-political churn after 2014 when the BJP came back to power. It is about the man who created the party.
Being a popular leader who has been mimicked a lot, how did you construct his personality?
The idea is to understand his core consciousness. The mannerisms are ornamental. I was conscious that my performance should not sound like mimicry or look caricaturish. I was more interested in understanding his state of mind before a crucial event or speech.
I am adept at acting and know cooking. In cooking, every ingredient can be measured, but in acting, the only barometer is the gaze of the director. It is his eyes that would tell me if I had to tone it down or to pitch it up slightly.
Vajpayee-ji never got offended by his mimicry. He encouraged Shekhar Suman when he copied his style for laughs.
You also seem to share his love for Ram Charitmanas...
As I am the son of a priest, Ram Charitmanas was part of our life and livelihood. I used to be part of the team that conducted the 24-hour paath of the epic where one priest recites for four-five hours and then the next one takes over.
Are you concerned about acting fatigue?
I get tired of standing in front of the camera every day. One should not be seen in seven projects in one year. It also affects the quality of performance. Actors are not computers that you switch on and off. I might take a break for a few months to freshen up. It could also be because now survival is not an issue, and I can put food on the table even if I don’t work for some time.
Pankaj Tripathi as ‘Kaleen Bhaiya’ in ‘Mirzapur’
What about image fatigue?
I haven’t consciously built an image but it does affect me as director Amit Rai was apprehensive before casting me as a devout believer in OMG 2 because of my Mirzapur character. I could see the tension on his face and I had to make an effort to make him believe. In the age of streaming, the trend of sequels and seasons forces you to repeat yourself. I am tired of playing Pandit in the Fukrey series as I have explored all possibilities. I can only continue doing it for money because it is not creatively satisfying anymore. If I keep getting challenging roles, I will request directors to keep me out of future seasons. But if my bank balance plunges, I would again say yes to sequels. Survival comes first!
Main Atal Hoon will release in theatres on January 19.
