Actors Sanjay Mishra, Pankaj Tripathi on what made them choose the romance genre

Pankaj Tripathi (left) and Sanjay Mishra in a still from the film

Those who have been following the screen journeys of Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi, would know they are both stellar actors. So, when the trailer of their upcoming film, Angrezi Mein Kehte Hai released, it was surprising to see them experiment with romance for the first time. The morning after bagging his first National Award, a special mention for Newton, Tripathi got on a call with us from Delhi, along with co-actor Sanjay Mishra to talk about the change of heart.

"We have always been romantic by nature, but yes, playing a romantic character is a first for both of us. Having said that, my character, even though we are calling him romantic, is a common guy - he could be my father, for instance. He's bogged down by life's many pressures - bills to pay, appearances to keep. And then, when he comes home every day, he looks for a tune to break the monotony," says Mishra. "If you ask me, everyone is romantic. But, sometimes, other things take over. Aur bhi gham hai zamane mein mohabbat ke siwa; they feel lost. And then comes the realisation that love is already around. Romance, for me, is that realisation."

The script took a while to grow on him. Mishra calls himself a "lazy actor" who, initially, looks at any film like a chore. But, as he read through this story, he realised that he "wouldn't require much effort to be a romantic". Set in Varanasi, the story follows the life of a post office clerk (Mishra) and his family. It's removed from Bollywood's dreamy romance, we point out. Mishra doesn't seem to like the word "Bollywood". "Shabd hi galat hai," he says. His understanding of romance is aligned with that of his character's. "I am on a motorcycle and my love is riding pillion - that is not romance for me. This film is not about the romance of Valentine's Day, it's the romance in everyday."

The very chatty actor keeps taking mild, elder-brotherly digs at Tripathi throughout the conversation. "You should see Pankaj and his wife. He's nothing like his character in the film," he says. When we ask Tripathi to share his idea of romance, he says it is travelling with his wife. "We take at least three trips a year. And sometimes, when I come into some money, I buy her a ring."

Tripathi plays Feroze, whose story influences Mishra's character deeply. If Mishra had his way, he'd have titled the film, "Bina Ras, Bana Ras". "The words 'I love you' have become a petrol for romance. I never heard my parents say it. Can love exist without those words, is what the film asks." Tripathi adds, "I have only seen my parents use words to fight. In fact, words can lead to a fight. It is feelings and emotions that bring people together."

After Masaan, this project brought the two actors back to Varanasi, where they stayed in a 300-year-old heritage property, that overlooks the burning ghats. "It's my favourite place in the city, and I told my producers that I wasn't interested in staying at a five-star. Pankaj also wanted to stay with me. I remember the night he arrived, he pulled out a batik kurta from his suitcase, saying, 'This is a gift from my wife'. When two co-actors meet like this, you can only imagine the journey that follows," Mishra says.

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