Pankaj Tripathi Birthday: Actor's Most Memorable Roles and Iconic Dialogues

September 5 holds a special significance for many in India: it’s both Teachers’ Day and the birthday of Bollywood star Pankaj Tripathi. While Tripathi himself wasn’t entirely sure of his birth date, he’s come to believe it’s September 5 due to the widespread celebrations among his fans.

Tripathi is one of Bollywood’s most versatile and acclaimed performers. With his gritty and realistic portrayals, the veteran actor has created a niche for himself. After starring in blockbuster movies and web series such as Gangs of Wasseypur and Mirzapur, he has amassed a massive fan base.

In 2023, the actor won a National Award for Best Supporting Actor in Mimi. Earlier, he also had a special mention at the National Awards for Newton in 2017. The Indian Television Academy Awards television also recognised his performance in the film Ludo in 2020. On his 48th birthday today, September 5, let’s take a look at some of his most popular movies, dialogues and web series.

Pankaj Tripathi’s Top Performances

1. Gangs Of WasseypurPankaj Tripathi played the role of Sultan Qureshi in the popular film, which starred prominent faces like Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Jaideep Ahlawat, and others. The film revolves around a fight between Sultan and Shahid Khan that resulted in a war three- generations later.
2. MirzapurIt is hard to imagine anyone else as Kaleen Bhaiya after his powerful portrayal in the Amazon Prime series. He was seen as the ruler of the underworld in the city and the ultimate dealer of illegal guns. The series also starred Divyanndu Sharma, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, and others.
3. Criminal JusticePankaj Tripathi portrays the lawyer Madhav Misra, who deals in small cases, but his life takes a turn when he takes up the case of defending the accused in a murder case. The series has three seasons so far and streams on Disney-Hotstar
4. MimiThe film was directed by Rajesh Bhatia and follows the life of a young woman with enormous goals who reluctantly accepts to be a surrogate for a couple in need of money. Pankaj Tripathi plays a taxi driver, Bhanu, who is the one to bring the surrogacy offer to the woman.
5. StreePankaj Tripathi is seen as Rudra in the horror comedy also starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, and others. Rudra owns a bookshop in Chanderi and helps unravel the secrets of Stree to help the town. He also reprised his role in the sequel, which was released this year.

Pankaj Tripathi’s Most Iconic Dialogues

1. “Maa aur bacche ka ristey na duniya ka sabse pavitra ka ristey hota hai….bachche ko kokh mein palana duniya ka sabse mahan kaam hota hai…mera bas chale na toh main bhi pal lun…” – Mimi
2. “Yahan kabootar bhi ek pankh se udhta hai … aur doosre se apna izzat bachata hai” – Gangs of Wasseypur
3. “Joh log mehnat ka saath nahi chhodte … kismat kabhi unka haath nahi chhodti”- Gunjan Saxena
4. “Voting machine ek khilone jaisa hai. Joh pasand aaye, accha lage, woh button daba do!”- Newton
5. Saanp kitna bhi chahe dushman ban jaye, par control sapere ke hath me hi hota hai!”- Mirzapur
6. “Jab kurbaani dene ka time aaye to kurbaani sipaahi kii dii jaati hai, raja aur rajkumar to jinda rehte hai rajgaddi par baithne k liye”- Mirzapur
7. “Mann ke Haare haar hain, Mann ke jeete jeet”- Criminal Justice
8. “35 saal pehle humlog aazaadi jeete, magar izzat jeetna abhi baaki hai kaptaan.” – 83
9. “Shudh shakahari, dal bhaat tarkaari, sab maal sarkari.” Manjhi: The Mountain Man
10. “Agar tum apne kaam mein imaandaar ho … toh desh ke saath gadaari kar hi nahi sakti.” Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl