Long before cinema embraced him, Pankaj Tripathi’s journey began on the stage. Now, having made his mark on the silver screen, he is ready to begin a new chapter, one that is taking him back to his theatre roots. Pankaj and his wife Mridula Tripathi have launched their banner Roopkatha Rangmanch, which will produce plays. Their first production, Lailaaj, will also mark the stage debut of their daughter Aashi Tripathi.    

Pankaj views Roopkatha Rangmanch as an emotional extension of their roots. “My journey as an actor began on the stage, in the simplicity of backstage chaos, borrowed costumes, and the magic of performing for a live audience. Theatre has taught me sincerity, patience, emotions, and discipline. Whatever I am today, I owe a large part of it to those early years under the spotlight. When Mridula and I decided to start our banner, I felt a strong desire that our first production must honour the medium that shaped me,” he says. Mridula adds, “Roopkatha Rangmanch was born out of a shared dream to promote stories that touch the heart.”