Pankaj Tripathi’s Bhanu was undoubtedly one of the best parts of Mimi. And it wasn’t just his endearing role or the fact that he is such a brilliant actor.
What actually stood out was that, for once, an actor was playing a role his own age! A middle-aged man who is a great friend to a young woman, and they share a beautiful friendship that isn’t tainted by romance. Shocking, I know.
Unlike superstars who are in a rush to play college kids, Pankaj has never gone out of his way to choose a character who was half his age. In fact, there is an entire scene in the film where they point out that Pankaj is too old to be romancing Kriti Sanon’s character.
They even state his age as 42 in the film, which seems fair since Pankaj is 44-years-old right now.
From playing a father to Janhvi Kapoor in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, to playing a middle-aged gangster in Ludo. Pankaj has proven that you don’t need to play roles half your age to remain relevant, his talent speaks for him. And you most definitely don’t need to be paired in love stories to make an impact on your audience.
Pankaj Tripathi is a gift to Bollywood, and truly never stops giving.
