Pankaj Tripathi says Indian films are global now as they go more local

The last few years have seen Indian films travel across borders to be feted at various film festivals and award shows around the world, and in some cases, even break the bank at foreign box offices beyond the diaspora. Be it mainstream offerings like RRR or Kill, or independent films like All We Imagine as Light or Songs of Forgotten Trees, Indian films are winning hearts worldwide. Actor Pankaj Tripathi, who has seen his fair share of cinema over the years, believes this shift is because of Indian writers and filmmakers returning to their roots.
In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, the actor reflects on how Indian cinema is going back to its core strength of focusing on what is local and cultural, something that Western audiences want to see.
“The core value of Indian emotion is empathy,” says the two-time National Award winner. “And then, our culture has so many festivals, across states and regions. So, when one incorporates that in stories, our culture, our emotions in an authentic manner, then that becomes global. That is the strength of Indian stories.”