Pankaj Tripathi stayed away, didn't sign any film for a year due to..., actor reveals shocking reason

Pankaj Tripathi is one of the finest actors in the Hindi film industry. He was recently seen in Criminal Justice: A Family Matter, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar. In a recent interview, he revealed that he had taken a one-year break from acting and didn’t sign any films last year. He also shared the reason behind this break.

Why Pankaj Tripathi Took a Break for a Year

While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Pankaj Tripathi said, “After my father passed away, I went on a journey of self-reflection. I didn’t sign any films for a year and didn’t announce that I was taking a break.” He added, “I took time to work on myself, both physically and mentally. That’s why I’ve lost weight. I now work out six days a week for three hours a day. I also went on trips that I had been postponing for a long time.”

What He Did During the Year

Although Pankaj didn’t take on major projects, he did complete a few small assignments like ad shoots and patchwork for Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino. He stayed away from media interactions and avoided reading new scripts. “I kept telling people I was busy, but that time was really meant for self-reflection,” he said.

“I Don’t Work for Money Anymore”

Pankaj also mentioned that he has reached a stage where money isn’t his motivation for work. “I want to take up projects that help me grow. There was a time when I would count days, waiting for a shoot to end. And I thought — this isn’t right. I love this profession. I’ve made many sacrifices to reach here. If I’m just waiting for the day to end while on set, something is wrong. That’s why I took a break,” he shared.

For context, Pankaj Tripathi’s father, Pandit Banaras Tiwari, passed away in August 2023 at the age of 99. After his father’s death, Pankaj dedicated his National Award win to him and even opened a library at his village’s high school in his memory.

Upcoming Film

Pankaj Tripathi will soon be seen in Metro… In Dino, the sequel to the 2007 film Life… In A Metro. Directed by Anurag Basu, the movie stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, and Shashwat Chatterjee. The film is set to release in theatres on July 2, 2025.