Versatile actor Pankaj Tripathi lost his father, Pandit Banaras Tiwari yesterday. He was 99. The ‘OMG 2’ actor was shooting elsewhere and immediately rushed to his native place where Tripathi’s parents’ stayed. Late yesterday, Pankaj Tripathi’s team released an official statement on his family’s behalf, “It’s with a heavy heart to confirm that Pankaj Tripathi’s father, Pandit Banaras Tiwari, is no more. He lived a wholesome life of 99 years. His last rites will be performed today amongst his close family. Pankaj Tripathi is currently on his way to his village in Gopalganj.” In some of the earlier interactions with the media, Pankaj Tripathi had said that his father wanted him to be a doctor whereas he had dreams of becoming an actor which he pursued much later in life. But the father-son bond between them remained intact as Pankaj visited Gopalganj generally before every release to seek blessings from his father.
