Pankaj Tripathi recalls his strange audition with Ram Gopal Varma: ‘He sat there in front and kept watching me for 10-15 minutes’ | Hindi Movie News

Long before Pankaj Tripathi became a household name and one of the most celebrated actors in the Hindi film industry, he embarked on a journey that included several attempts to secure small roles in films. During an episode of Aap Ki Adalat, Pankaj shared a quirky tale of his early days in Mumbai when he was determined to make his mark.
In search of opportunities, Pankaj had decided to knock on the doors of filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma‘s office for the role of a goon. Narrating the story, he said, “Once I reached there (Varma’s office), I saw that there were very dangerous-looking goons already present! I thought my face was pretty decent because some men had a mark on their nose, a scar…I asked them if they are actors, and they said yes.”
Out of curiosity, Pankaj inquired about their menacing appearances. To his surprise, they revealed, “‘Ram Gopal Varma khatarnaak aadmiyo ki he casting karta hai.’ In those days in Four Bungalows, many actors would roam around with fake scar and blood on their face hoping that Ramu would cast them.”

Sharing the strange audition experience with RGV, Pankaj continued, “He asked me to sit on a bench, which could seat four people. He asked me to sit on the side, so I sat on the edge, like four more people would come and sit on the bench. He sat there in front, watching me. Now, if someone watches you for 10-15 minutes, you would feel awkward and wonder where to look! Then he asked me to leave and never called me back.”

However, Pankaj said that Ram Gopal Varma is a fantastic director, and once when they bumped into each other, the director praised him and his work. He also emphasised on the importance of right timing, said that if he had cast him then, it would have been a loss for both of them. “When something isn’t happening in life, never be sad. Something better is going to happen,” he concluded.

Pankaj is now gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Main Atal Hoon, where he portrays the role of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Directed by Ravi Jadhav and written by Rishi Virmanu, the film is set to hit the screens on January 19.