Actor Pankaj Tripathi opens the doors to his holiday haven, lovingly named Roop Katha, and takes us on a tour of his home. Set against the lush, village-like charm of the outskirts of Mumbai, his home is less a Bollywood mansion and more a meditative retreat.
“Ji ji, swagat hai. Aaiye, aapko pilaayenge sattu,” Tripathi says with a warm smile, welcoming the crew of Mashable into his holiday home, which he clarifies is a “naya purana sa” space—new yet full of old-world essence.
The actor’s love for the forest and wildlife is evident from the souvenirs dotting the interiors. Pointing to one such piece, he shares, “Yeh apna Kaziranga ka hai... jo North East mein jungle hai na… DFO hain jo mujhe gift kiye the—yeh bhi, aur yeh elephant bhi.”
But what truly mesmerises is the craftsmanship of the dining table. “Yeh Mysore ka art hai, ji… paint nahin, lakdi hai. Lakdi ko kaat ke usmein aur lakdi daali gayi hai… Rosewood hai, ismein kathal bhi hoga.”
From Mysore’s carved wood to handspun khadi from Shivamogga, where his mentor Prasanna ji runs a sustainable textile initiative, everything in the home tells a story.
As he guides the camera through his kitchen, he beams, “Yahaan maza aata hai… yahaan se pakodi banta hai, aur idhar baith ke khidki se serve kiya jaata hai. Mujhe khaana banaana bahut pasand hai.” Outside, his wood-fired chulha awaits evenings of litti chokha, homemade rotis: “Lakdi ke chulhe ka alag hi sukh hai.”
“Main fridge ka paani nahin peeta hoon. Main matke ka hi peeta hoon… yahaan chidiya aati hai bahut saari.” He has even counted them, lovingly tracking the sparrows, and says, “Main unke liye khaana bhi laga rakha hai.”
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“Mera… meri hobby hai na thoda—main chidiya dekhta hoon. Khada hokar 10–15 minute paudhe dekhta hoon,” he added.
The name Roop Katha, meaning “fairy tale,” was suggested by a friend of his wife. “Meri patni ki dost ki maa ne yeh naam diya tha… toh tab se Roop Kotha ki jagah Roop Katha humne kar diya.”
From handwoven gamchhas to rustic wooden beams, Roop Katha seems to be Pankaj’s tribute to simplicity, a pause from celebrity, and a love letter to rural India and its art.
