Pankaj Tripathi backs Ohh My Dog: Made for people's hearts, not the box office

Actor Pankaj Tripathi said that the true success of a socially relevant film lies in the impact it creates rather than the box-office numbers it earns. Speaking at the trailer launch of director Amit Rai's upcoming film - Ohh My Dog, the actor, while responding to India Today, spoke about the importance of artists backing smaller films with important stories.Emphasising that the film's subject was more important than the size of his character, Tripathi said, "That's why I have become a part of this film. The real stars of this film are the people telling the story, especially Amit Rai (writer-director), the child actor in the film and of course the canines, who are true stars. I have simply supported the film, and I am only in a few scenes. This is not my film but I wanted to be here today."The actor also revealed that members of the censor board had jokingly told the director they were disappointed that Tripathi had been given such a small role. However, he maintained that backing meaningful cinema was far more important than chasing screen time.Calling the film a labour of conviction rather than commerce, Tripathi added, "This film has not been made to earn Rs 200 crore or become a blockbuster. It should recover its investment and reach people's hearts. That will be its real collection." Replying to us, director Amit Rai also praised the actor for putting the story ahead of stardom, saying it was rare for an A-list actor to accept a smaller role purely because of the film's message."When Pankaj agreed to do the film, he never asked how big his role was or whether it suited his stature. Usually, actors want to know the length of their role and whether it matches where they are in their career. But this is one of those rare films where a big star agreed to play an important character simply because the story deserved it," Rai said. The filmmaker added that Tripathi's decision to stand by the project had strengthened the film and demonstrated his commitment to meaningful storytelling over commercial considerations.As per reports, Tripathi did not charge for Ohh My Dog because of his association with Rai and his love for the script. He even extended his schedule from four to six days to wrap up the shoot smoothly.The film marks Rai's young son, Maahi Rai's, debut. Pavan Malhotra and Rajesh Sharma are also part of the project. It is scheduled to release on July 31.- EndsPublished By: Pritinanda BeheraPublished On: Jul 22, 2026 10:11 IST