Pankaj Tripathi says he once met Ram Gopal Varma to get cast as goon, reveals awkward audition that followed: ‘He asked me to sit on a bench and…’

Pankaj Tripathi narrated the hilarious incident involving the first time he met Ram Gopal Varma when he was new in Mumbai.

By: Entertainment Desk

Mumbai | January 7, 2024 05:07 PM IST

3 min read

Pankaj Tripathi talks about meeting Ram Gopal Varma for the first time. (Photo: Pankaj Tripathi, Ram Gopal Varma/Instagram)

Before Pankaj Tripathi broke out as everyone’s favourite actor, he tried to make a mark by attempting to get cast as a goon in a Ram Gopal Varma film. Tripathi, who is now one of the most acclaimed actors of the Hindi film industry, said when he was in new in Mumbai and in search of work, he knocked the doors of the Satya director.

During an episode of Aap Ki Adalat, when asked if it was true that he had gone to meet Ram Gopal Varma for the role of a goon, Tripathi said it indeed happened and went on to narrate the hilarious incident.

Indian Express Entertainment is now on WhatsApp Channels. Follow us for the latest news, interviews, reviews, photos and more.

“Once I reached there (Varma’s office), I saw that there were very dangerous looking goon already present! I thought my face was pretty decent, because some men had a mark on their nose, a scar…I asked them if they are actors and they said yes. So I asked them why were they looking so dangerous? They said, ‘Ram Gopal Varma khatarnaak aadmiyo ki he casting karta hai.’ In those days in Four Bungalows, many actors would roam around with fake scar and blood on their face hoping that Ramu would cast them!”

Later, Tripathi recalled, that he met Varma and what followed was a strange audition of sorts. “It is an interesting incident because later Ramu did call me. He asked me to sit on a bench, which could seat four people. He asked me to sit on the side, so I sat on the edge, like four more people would come and sit on the bench.

“He sat there in front, watching me. Now, if someone watches you for 10-15 mins, you would feel awkward and wonder where to look! Then he asked me to leave and never called me back. But he is a fantastic director and once when we bumped into each other, he praised me and my work. It is all about timing. If he had cast me then, it would have been his loss and mine as well. When something isn’t happening in life, never be sad. Something better is going to happen,” he added.

The actor is currently awaiting the release of his next, Main Atal Hoon. Directed by Ravi Jadhav and written by Rishi Virmanu, the film stars Pankaj Tripathi as former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The movie is set to release on January 19.

From the homepage