Pankaj Tripathi Recalls Eating Insects & Why He Changed His Father’s Surname During An Interview

Pankaj Tripathi is a highly acclaimed Indian actor known for his exceptional performances in Bollywood and Indian cinema. His journey from a small town in Bihar to becoming one of the most versatile and sought-after actors in the Indian film industry is nothing short of inspirational.

He was born on September 5, 1976, in the Gopalganj district of Bihar, in the hamlet of Belsand. He obtained his degree from the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, where he honed his acting skills. Initially, Tripathi had a difficult time in the industry, dealing with rejections and minor roles that hardly did justice to his talent. However, his unwavering skills and determination helped him burst through hurdles. Ultimately, he became recognized for his extraordinary acting abilities.

However, even after becoming successful, he still fondly remembers her old days. Reflecting on his old time, he recently revealed some various unknown aspects of his life. From eating insects to why he changed his name, Pankaj Tripathi has revealed many details about his personal life.

Pankaj Tripathi speaks up about doing bicycle stunts in childhood

During a recent interview with India TV, Pankaj Tripathi talked about his early years spent in the countryside. Along with this, he also shared humorous tales that revealed his bold and strong personality. With fondness, he reminisced about his schoolday attempts to get the ladies’ attention. He told a funny story about trying to pull off bicycle tricks to mimic a popular country kid. When discussing this, the actor said, with a smile,

“I used to perform stunts on the bicycle because there was a boy who would perform such stunts and he was very popular among girls. I am talking about the time I was in 7th or 8th standard in school. In school at the time, a slow cycle race was organised, so that boy, who was the winner of that race, became very popular among girls. So, I learned the same thing hoping that I would be the winner next year, but I lost, I wasn’t the winner.”

Pankaj Tripathi recalls why he ate insects while swimming

Tripathi shared a more daring story about his childhood in the country, expressing his sincere wish to become a swimmer. Recollecting this, he humorously mentioned,

“I wanted to learn swimming. We had a river behind our house. The river water has small black insects swimming on top of it. So, the kids in the village, they are very naughty, they told me that if I drink these insects I will learn swimming. So, I picked up 10-12 of those insects and drank them with the water. I am thankful that my stomach didn’t get upset.”

Pankaj Tripathi reveals why changed his name.

Tripathi also related a strange story about a time he made a decision that changed not just his own identity but also his father’s last name. Considering this, Pankaj made an amusing comment, saying,

“It must be the first time in history that a father got a name from his son. I was filling the admit card of 10th standard. My uncle would use the surname Tripathi and he had become an officer in the government. There was also one Baba who had Tripathi surname, he became a professor of Hindi. Those who had my surname, Tiwari, they all were either priests or were doing farming. So, I thought this is because of the surname. I didn’t want to become farmer or a priest. So I wrote my name as Tripathi in the form. But then I thought I can’t write my father’s name as Tiwari in the form as it might get rejected. So I changed his name too.”

Pankaj Tripathi’s recollections provide a delightful and funny look into his early years, highlighting his lovable demeanor and the fierce ambition that has helped him succeed in the entertainment industry. In addition to being an actor, he serves as an example for young artists nowadays, demonstrating that hard work and skill can produce amazing results.