Pankaj Tripathi felt daughter Aashi is 'sharper' than him on watching her debut: 'What she did in 2 shows took me years'

Pankaj Tripathi on daughter Aashi’s acting debut
Lailaaj has been produced by Pankaj and Mridula Tripathi’s banner, Roopkatha Rangmanch, as their first play. The first shows were staged in November in Mumbai and received acclaim. Pankaj said on the sidelines that he watched the performances ‘as an actor, and not as a father’. When asked how Aashi took the feedback, he tells us, “She took it very well. By the third show, I saw her improvement, I felt she was sharper than me. When our teachers used to explain all us these things, it would take us one or two years to adopt that. She achieved that miracle in just three shows. This new generation is very sharp, very advanced. But the problems they face are also sharper and very advanced.”
Although Pankaj says Aashi has not decided if she wants to pursue acting as a career, he is fully supportive of the choice if she does. He says, “I will let her find her way. I know the difficulties that lie on this path. Either I can scare her now, or I can give her the freedom to do her thing her way. Not just my daughter, I think this freedom should be given to all kids. Tell them to do what they want, and even if they fail, it’s no big deal.”
Pankaj Tripathi’s upcoming films
Pankaj Tripathi was last seen on the big screen in Anurag Basu’s romantic drama Metro…In Dino opposite Konkona Sen Sharma. He is currently filming two projects - Mirzapur film and Parivarak Manuranjan opposite Aditi Rao Hydari. Both are expected to release in 2026.