Pankaj Jha Takes a Jibe at Anurag Kashyap and Pankaj Tripathi in the Casting Controversy Surrounding Gangs of Wasseypur, Says ‘Many Spineless People Here’

Actor Pankaj Jha, best known for his role as MLA Chandra Kishore Vidhayak in the popular comedy series Panchayat, in a recent interview, has accused Pankaj Tripathi of glamourising his "struggle". In an interview with Lallantop, the Panchayat actor claimed that he was replaced in Anurag Kahsyap's Gangs of Wasseypur by Pankaj Tripathi despite being the first choice for playing the role of Sultan. Now, the actor has doubled down on the allegations and condemned people who do politics behind each other back without taking Tripathi's name. Criminal Justice Season 4 Confirmed! Pankaj Tripathi Returns As Lawyer Madhav Mishra in Upcoming Crime Drama Series (Watch Video).

The Whole Issue Explained!

Acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who has previously collaborated with Jha in various films, approached the actor for the role of Sultan Qureshi while he was making Gangs of Wasseypur. However, later, the role was offered to Tripathi, who went on to make a very successful name in the industry.

How Did Jha Lose the Role?

Opening up on what exactly happened, Jha revealed that during the shooting of Gangs of Wasseypur, he was shooting in Patna for a film. That is when the Panchayat actor received a message for the role. "While I was shooting there, I got a message from him. He was calling me to Mumbai. I told him that I was shooting for a film and would be back in a day or two. Then I came to know that the role for which he was calling me had been offered to someone else. Well, I love Anurag very much, and I have no complaints against anyone, " he said.

Pankaj Jha on Pankaj Tripathi

"I don't care about the politics that happens behind my back. The person doing it wins only if it harms me. Those who engage in politics behind someone's back are generally cowards, right? Otherwise, they would have come forward upfront, " he said during an interview with Digital Commentary. Taking a dig at Anurag Kahsyap, he said, "While films like Satya and Gulaal create actors, they also make directors. But there are so many timid and spineless people here that they can't even keep their word." Anurag Kashyap Talks About Turning ‘Bad’ in Cryptic Post, Says ‘Accha Banke Ghanta Kuch Milne Wala Hai’ (View Pic).

After revealing the shocking details regarding the casting of Sultan Qureshi's role, one would expect Jha to hold a grudge against the filmmaker for doing so. However, Jha said he loves Anurag very much and has no complaints against anyone.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2024 02:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).