It was somewhat outside my comfort zone: Pankaj Tripathi on playing P R Man Singh in '83'

Tripathi opened up about his professional journey and said that he never thought about quitting acting despite the initial setbacks

Actor Pankaj will be seen playing the role of legendary manager P R Man Singh in the upcoming Bollywood movie 83, which revolves around the Indian cricket team's win in the 1983 cricket World Cup. 'Kaleen' says that the character wasn't exactly in his comfort zone as he had to work on his language and diction but he pulled through as he received guidance from trained tutors.

Tripathi, who faced several setbacks before rising to fame with Gangs of Wasseypur, reveals that he never even thought about quitting the profession despite the initial struggles as he was 'passionate' about his craft.

Edited excerpts from the interview with DH:

What encouraged you to take up '83'?

The script was nice and the film has been directed by a good filmmaker. I am an actor, who wants to be part of such projects.

How was the experience of working with Kabir Khan and Ranveer Singh?

It was quite absolutely shaandaar. I have nothing to add beyond that as the word conveys the feeling quite well as it covers all aspects of the shoot experience.

How did you prepare for the role of P R Man Singh?

The language spoken by him was a bit out of my comfort zone as it had a distinct flavour. This, however, was not a major hindrance as I was trained by good tutors. I met P R Man and observed his mannerisms. He is quite passionate about cricket. He writes books on the subject as well. I used this meeting as the basis for preparing for 83.

Any memories of the day India won the World Cup in 1983?

There was no radio in my village back then so we weren't aware of the match at all. As such, I don't really have any memories of the event.

How did you get drawn towards acting?

I derive pleasure from acting. Iss kaam mein bore nahi hote. Passionate tha right from the beginning and it helped me earn my daily bread, Come to think of it this is all I know. What else can I do?

Was there any point in the journey where you faced self-doubt or experienced an urge to quit acting?

Such a thought never crossed my mind. Not even once.

Any role you think you could have done better?

I get this feeling I revisit my projects after wrapping up a shoot. I feel I could always have used a different approach for a particular scene or shot.