Happy Birthday Pankaj Tripathi: From Sultan Qureshi to Kaleen Bhaiya, a look at his best characters

At a time when young stars rule Bollywood, Pankaj Tripathi honestly wears the crown when it comes to leaving an impact on the audiences’ hearts and minds. Carving his niche in 2004 with a small role in Abhishek Bachchan starrer Run, Pankaj Tripathi has been giving back-to-back outstanding performances and proving his acting mettle. Despite essaying the roles of a supporting actor mostly, it won’t be wrong to say that his name has now become synonymous with iconic films and series. As the actor celebrates his 46th birthday today, here is a look at some of his enthralling performances in movies and series, which will keep you hooked to your screens: Gangs Of Wasseypur This Anurag Kashyap ’s 2012 directorial is considered the movie which has a big hand in bringing Pankaj Tripathi to the limelight. Sharing the screen space with some of the finest actors in the industry, Pankaj Tripathi plays the character of Sultan Qureshi, whose rule has been overthrown by Sardar Khan - played by Manoj Bajpayee . And honestly, this combo of fine actors is truly deadly in all its literal sense. Mirzapur Portraying Pankaj Tripathi as the true king, _Mirzapur_ sits on the throne of being the cult favourite. Playing the role of Kaleen Bhaiya, Pankaj Tripathi honestly gives you goosebumps with every dialogue he says. While every character in the series deserves a standing ovation, Pankaj Tripathi in Mirzapur literally brought “bhaukaal”. Powder If Gangs of Wasseypur launched Pankaj Tripathi as a Bollywood crime-lord, it was the 2010 TV series Powder that exhibited his true acting prowess. Winning hearts with his portrayal of a ruthless villain, Tripathi plays the role of Naved Ahmed. Sacred Games Playing the Guruji, the third “Baap” of Gaitonde, Pankaj Tripathi will leave you speechless in this Saif Ali Khan starrer thriller series. Stealing the whole show with his strongest and the most menacing character, Pankaj Tripathi was tailor-made for portraying Guruji’s calm-before-the-storm demeanour. Masaan While people can’t get over Vicky Kaushal ’s impeccable performance, Pankaj Tripathi’s subtle role in just two scenes will win your heart. The strikingly impactful character of a slightly reserved and warm person will bring a smile to your face. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.