Pankaj Tripathi on spirituality: 'I am a sanyasi holding on to the external'
Synopsis
Pankaj Tripathi compares himself to a 'sanyasi still holding on to the external' — acknowledging he controls his anger but hasn't yet conquered it from within. The candid remark, made alongside co-star Aditi Rao Hydari while promoting 'Parivarik ManuRanjan', lays bare the unique tension actors navigate: spirituality demands non-reactivity, but the craft demands total emotional surrender.
Key Takeaways
Pankaj Tripathi described himself as a 'sanyasi holding on to the external' while discussing his spiritual journey in Mumbai .
He said he has learned to pause before reacting to anger but acknowledges the emotion itself still arises.
Tripathi noted that spirituality helps him avoid impulsive reactions to life's highs and lows.
He explained the contradiction between spiritual non-reactivity and the total emotional immersion required of an actor, resolving it through 'awareness' and witnessing.
The remarks came during promotion of his upcoming streaming film 'Parivarik ManuRanjan' , co-starring Aditi Rao Hydari .
Actor Pankaj Tripathi, currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming streaming film 'Parivarik ManuRanjan', has opened up about his ongoing journey toward self-mastery — describing himself as a spiritual practitioner who has largely tamed his external behaviour but continues to work on his inner self.
The Sanyasi Analogy
Speaking at an interaction in the Goregaon East area of Mumbai alongside co-actor Aditi Rao Hydari, Tripathi drew on spiritual metaphor to describe where he stands. 'I am a sanyasi who is holding on to the external. I need to practice the internal as well. Only then will I master the art of spirituality,' he said. He distinguished between suppressing anger and genuinely not feeling it — acknowledging he still experiences the emotion but has developed a pause before reacting.
'If the anger comes to me, I wait for a few seconds, and tell myself, 'My anger will disappear in a few seconds'. That is all I understand. It doesn't flow. But the anger does come. It cannot be stopped. Greed, lust, all emotions are inside all of us. We have to keep working on it,' he added.
Spirituality as an Anchor
Tripathi has previously spoken about actors being inherently fragile because they inhabit multiple lives simultaneously. He said spirituality has helped him avoid reacting impulsively to life's highs and lows — offering a kind of emotional buffer that few professions demand more urgently than acting.
Notably, he frames this not as detachment but as awareness — the ability to observe an emotion before choosing how to engage with it.
The Actor's Contradiction
The philosophical tension at the heart of Tripathi's remarks is striking: spirituality asks for non-reactivity, while acting demands total emotional immersion. When pressed on how he reconciles the two, he said the distinction lies in consciousness. 'In art, it's okay, and is required as a part of the profession. In art, the character is written, and he is supposed to be reactionary. It needs awareness, to know this, to be a witness — I realise that an emotion has come to me, will I react to this emotion or will I respond?' he explained.
He also reflected on why actors are often considered emotionally vulnerable: 'Along with his life, he lives a few more lives, every year,' Tripathi said — pointing to the cumulative psychological weight of portraying layered characters across projects.
About 'Parivarik ManuRanjan'
Tripathi made these remarks in the context of promoting 'Parivarik ManuRanjan', his upcoming streaming release. The film features Aditi Rao Hydari in a key role. Further details about the platform and release date have not yet been disclosed. As one of Hindi cinema's most critically acclaimed character actors, Tripathi's reflections on craft and consciousness are likely to resonate with fans and fellow practitioners alike.
With the film's release on the horizon, audiences will be watching to see how his evolving inner discipline translates on screen.
Point of View
Yet his stated goal is spiritual equanimity. That he names this tension openly, rather than papering over it with PR-friendly platitudes, is precisely what sets him apart. The bigger question mainstream coverage glosses over: does sustained emotional immersion across multiple roles carry a psychological cost that the industry is only beginning to acknowledge?
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Pankaj Tripathi say about spirituality?
Pankaj Tripathi said he is on the path to mastering his external behaviour through spiritual practice, comparing himself to a 'sanyasi holding on to the external.' He said he waits a few seconds when anger arises and reminds himself it will pass, distinguishing between not expressing anger and genuinely not feeling it.
What is 'Parivarik ManuRanjan'?
'Parivarik ManuRanjan' is Pankaj Tripathi's upcoming streaming film, which also features Aditi Rao Hydari. The film's release platform and date have not yet been officially announced.
Why did Pankaj Tripathi say actors are fragile?
Tripathi said actors are fragile because, in addition to their own lives, they inhabit several other characters' lives every year. This cumulative emotional weight makes them more susceptible to emotional volatility than people in other professions.
How does Pankaj Tripathi reconcile spirituality with acting?
He said the key is awareness — understanding that in art, a character is written to be reactionary, and that an actor must consciously choose whether to react or respond to an emotion. He frames acting as a space where emotional expression is a professional requirement, separate from how he handles emotions in personal life.
Who was present at the interaction with Pankaj Tripathi?
Co-actor Aditi Rao Hydari was present alongside Pankaj Tripathi during the interaction, which took place in the Goregaon East area of Mumbai.
