Days after he indirectly took swipes at Pankaj Tripathi, saying that some actors enjoy glamorizing their struggles of “stealing another actor’s slippers,” Panchayat actor Pankaj Jha doubled down and slammed those who engage in politics behind people’s backs, while also emphasising that such actions can’t break him.
For the unversed, Jha was reportedly approached by director Anurag Kashyap, with whom he previously worked on films like Black Friday and Gulaal, for the role of Sultan Qureshi in the epic gangster black comedy Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) initially. However, the role eventually went to Tripathi, significantly boosting the latter’s Bollywood career.
“I don’t care about the politics that happens behind my back. The person doing it wins only if it harms me. Those who engage in politics behind someone’s back are generally cowards, right? Otherwise, they would have come forward, upfront,” he said during an interview with Digital Commentary.
Calling himself a “director-making actor,” Pankaj Jha also took jabs at Anurag Kashyap. “While films like Satya and Gulaal create actors, they also make directors. But there are so many timid and spineless people here that they can’t even keep their word,” he said with a smirk. “Later, I found out that the director himself was in a bad situation, getting no work, and was doing 36 different jobs on this project.”
Explaining what happened during the time of Gangs of Wasseypur, Jha said, “I had gone to Patna for the shooting of a film. While I was there, I received a message from him asking me to come over. I told him I was in the middle of a shoot and would return in a day or two. Then I found out that someone else had been cast for the role.” He added, “Nevertheless, I still love Anurag very much and have no complaints against anyone.”
An alum of the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, Pankaj Jha’s first major role was in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding (2001). Following that, he appeared in acclaimed films like Company (2002), Matrubhoomi (2003), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), and Anwar (2007). He recently rose to fame with his performance in TVF’s comedy-drama series Panchayat, playing the role of ‘Vidhayak’ Chandrakishore Singh.
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