Five Pankaj Tripathi Films That Teach Men To Be Better Allies To Women

It is rare to find a man who proclaims to be a feminist and then doesn't jump to "not all men" save. Pankaj Tripathi is one of those few men that proudly call themselves feminists and never shy away from speaking about how their spouses have supported them through rough patches of their life- giving them due credit. If you look at Tripathi's filmography, you'll realise that his films do not stray away much from his statements off-screen.

During an interview with SheThePeople, Tripathi had revealed that his wife, a school teacher, had supported the family while he was struggling to break into the Hindi film industry. He had no qualms accepting the role his wife playing in providing for the family so that he could follow his dreams. "Why should anybody hesitate from admitting a truth, whether it’s on a national TV or any public forum?” said the actor.

Tripathi also said that he was against the practice of dowry and made sure to live by his beliefs when he was about to wed his wife Mridula. He added that when discussions of his marriage were happening, he told his father-in-law that he will not be accepting a single penny from him. Read more on that here.

While it is the duty of an actor to play diverse characters that challenge their capabilities, Tripathi has numerous films to his credit where his character was presented as an ally to women. From standing by his daughter, to being the wind beneath her wings, to treating women with dignity and not disdain, these characters are not just endearing, they are inspiring.

Suggested Reading: 6 Times Pankaj Tripathi Proved That He Is A Feminist Man

Here are five Pankaj Tripathi films that present men as allies to women:

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl 

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl

Based on a true story, the film is about a girl who aspires to become a pilot someday. Featuring Jhanvi Kapoor as Gunjan Saxena, a Kargil War veteran, the film captures a woman's struggles to break the glass ceiling and carve a space for herself in a male-dominated space.

Tripathi here plays the role of Gunjan's father Anuj Saxena, who believes in his daughter's dreams and never sees her gender as a deterrent. In one of the scenes, he tells his daughter, "Plane ladka udaaye ya ladki...dono ko pilot hi kehte hain," and captures the spirit of a father who brings up an empowered daughter.

Stree

Subverting the trope of wandering female ghosts seeking revenge, Stree uses the age-old narrative to talk about consent, gender equality and respect. the film revolves around a chudail, that haunts the streets of Chanderi village during puja season, and preys on men who wander out alone at night.

In the film, Tripathi plays the role of librarian Rudra who gives us the film's iconic dialogue, "Woh street hai, woh kuch bhi kar sakti hain." While Rudra is himself afraid of the ghost, he understands that it wants to respect from the villagers and thus wants to help the film's lead Vicky (Rajkummar Rao) release it from its trappings, instead of capturing it.

Suggested Reading: 10 Films of Ayushmann Khurrana That Makes The Actor Stand Apart

Masaan 

In the story of cremation ghats, Tripathi played the role of Sadhya Ji, a talkative railway employee whose presence brings sunshine to the bleak narrative of the film. His character is a talkative person who befriends Devi Pathak, played by Richa Chadha despite her quiet demeanour.

Masaan deals with complex issues like consequences that women have to face for having sex before marriage, casteism, love, lust and death. While Devi is ostracised for having pre-marital sex, Sadhya befriends her and even shows an inclination towards marrying her, showing how a woman's past shouldn't be used to define her or her life.

Bareilly Ki Barfi 

Narottam Mishra in Bareilly ki Barfi

This light-hearted comedy featuring Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Seema Pahwa and Pankaj Tripathi is about a girl named Bitti who is both financially independent and progressive, which actually becomes an impediment when it comes to getting married.

Tripathi plays the role of Bitti's supportive father, who both understands and supports his daughter, but doesn't have the strength to fight the world and its stereotypical gaze at women.

Mimi

Kriti Sanon's Mimi goes for OTT release

It is a story about a young woman who decides to become a surrogate to an American couple. But as fate turns, the couple leaves and deny to take the child with them, leaving Mimi in despair. She decides to raise the child on her own. Tripathi plays the role of Bhanu, who is a taxi driver and had convinced the third party to take services of Mimi as a surrogate.

When the couple leaves ">Mimi in a lurch, Bhanu steps in to take care of her and stands by her side as she faces society and her own family.

Views expressed are the author's own.