Pankaj Tripathi on his new-found love for social media

The Mirzapur actor says he has only now realised how technology has made the world a smaller place; talks about how his lockdown series is a huge hit with his fans

For someone who has remained elusive on social media for the longest time, Pankaj Tripathi has evidently taken to it well. Weeks into the lockdown, the actor kick-started a Facebook live series where he narrated some heartfelt slice-of-life stories based on his own experiences.

Pankaj Tripathi has been interacting with cinephiles and film buffs, who have given him interesting feedback on his work

Over the weeks, the video has been watched by many of his fans, who love him as he is one of the most well-spoken and articulate actors, says a source, adding “Tripathi is a common man’s success story and his stories have a familiar quality to them that resonates with all. It’s pleasantly surprising to see him take the leap to social media, a platform he strategically stayed away from for the longest part of his career. In fact, he started his Instagram page earlier this year because someone was posting fake messages through a fake account and it became absolutely essential for him to put an official word out there. Interestingly, Tripathi has now been enjoying interacting directly with fans.”

Talking about his experience, the actor shares, “Every platform has its pros and cons. I had assumed that the chaos of social media will consume so much of my mind space that it will make me focus on irrelevant things. But ever since the lockdown was announced and I started my series, I have found a different side of social media. I have been interacting with cinephiles and film buffs who have given me some interesting feedback on my work as well. On the live sessions, I have been seeing more and more viewers who want to discuss art and stories. I was unaware of this side of the world and have finally realised what it means when we say technology has made the world a smaller place. And I can assuredly say, it’s not at all bad. I have been enjoying talking to people from all walks of life and have realised the far reaching impact of art. It, in fact, makes me want to work harder and be part of more stories that leave by an indelible mark on people.”