Beyond Ali: Anupam Tripathi the Global Star's Journey of Confidence, Characters and a Dream to Give Back

For millions of viewers, Anupam Tripathi will always be Ali, the kind-hearted Pakistani migrant worker from the global hit Squid Game. The character won hearts with his innocence and loyalty, turning the Indian actor into a familiar face across the world.

But Tripathi is looking beyond Ali.

He wants to play characters that are nothing like the man who brought him international recognition. He wants to explore India's diverse film industries, build stronger cultural ties between India and South Korea, and, one day, use his success to help young people pursue their education.

In an exclusive conversation, the actor spoke about the experiences that have shaped him, the roles he hopes to take on and the ambitions he carries beyond the screen. Through it all, one thing remains clear: for Tripathi, acting is as much about understanding people as it is about performing for them.

Theatre gave him the confidence to find his feet

Before international recognition came years of work on stage. Tripathi spent two decades in theatre, an experience he credits with giving him the confidence to navigate the demands of acting and life in a country far from home.

“Theatre has given me confidence,” he said.

The stage, for him, was more than a place to perform. It was where he learnt to observe people, understand different personalities and stay present in a moment. Those lessons have stayed with him as he has built a career in South Korea's entertainment industry.

Working in a different language and cultural environment brings its own challenges. But the discipline and confidence he developed through theatre have helped him find his footing.

That foundation also informs how he approaches his work today. Rather than seeing acting simply as a chance to inhabit someone else's life, Tripathi sees it as an opportunity to learn something about human behaviour — and, at times, about himself.

He has played Ali. Now he wants to play everyone.

The success of Squid Game brought Tripathi global attention, but it also created the possibility of being associated too closely with one kind of character. He is keen to avoid that.

“I don't want to play only naive and good-hearted characters. I want to play all kinds of roles, whether a hero or a villain,” he said.

He would happily return to characters with Ali's warmth and innocence, but he also wants to test himself with more complicated, darker personalities. For an actor, he believes, the challenge is not simply to portray a character as good or bad, but to understand what makes that person who they are.

There is a personal dimension to that approach. Playing a positive character can remind him of qualities worth embracing, while a negative role can force him to examine human weaknesses, motivations and flaws.

It is this range that he hopes to explore in the years ahead. Ali may have introduced him to audiences around the world, but Tripathi does not want that introduction to become a limit on the stories he can tell.

Two countries, one cultural conversation

Tripathi's life and career have developed across India and South Korea. His artistic journey began in India, while Korea has become central to his professional life. Living between these cultural worlds has given him a perspective he hopes to put to wider use.

He sees room for closer collaboration between the two countries, particularly in film, theatre, music and other creative fields. But he believes the exchange should extend beyond the arts.

Tripathi wants government agencies and ministries in both countries to explore programmes that bring people, ideas and opportunities together — including cooperation in commerce and the economy.

For him, cultural exchange should not be a one-way showcase. Artists and audiences in both countries should have the opportunity to discover each other's work, learn from different traditions and build relationships that last beyond a single event.

His own experience is a reminder of what can happen when talent crosses borders. He now hopes more artists will get similar opportunities, without having to see one country's success as separate from the other's.

The song that keeps him going

For all his international success, Tripathi's sources of inspiration are not necessarily complicated.

Asked to name a song that motivates him, he picked “Woh Sikandar Hi Doston Kehlata Hai” from the Hindi film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar.

The song's message of friendship, determination and perseverance speaks to an actor whose career has involved stepping into unfamiliar territory and continuing despite uncertainty.

From years of theatre to building a career in Korea, and from working across cultures to becoming part of one of the world's most widely watched television series, Tripathi has travelled a long way from where he began.

The song is a fitting choice for someone who appears more interested in the journey ahead than in resting on what he has already achieved.

A dream that goes beyond acting

Perhaps the most personal ambition Tripathi shared was not about a new role or another career milestone. It was about helping someone else get a chance.

“In future, my dream is to sponsor two students from around the globe, including one from India, to support their academic career,” he said.

He also expressed a desire to associate himself with humanitarian aid.

The plan is modest in scale but significant in intent. Tripathi wants to use the opportunities his career has given him to help young people build their own futures. Education, he believes, can open doors, and supporting students would be one way for him to give something back.

It is a different kind of ambition from the pursuit of fame. Instead of measuring success only by the roles he lands or the audiences he reaches, he is thinking about what he might make possible for others.

For an actor whose own journey has involved years of learning and persistence, that desire to support the next generation feels closely connected to the path he has taken.

Looking towards India's regional cinema

Tripathi's interest in telling stories does not stop at the India-Korea connection. He is also keen to explore India's regional-language film industries, where he sees a wealth of stories and characters waiting to be discovered.

From Assamese and Bengali cinema to Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi and Punjabi films, India's screen culture is shaped by distinct languages, histories and storytelling traditions. Tripathi is interested in the possibility of working in these industries and experiencing their creative worlds first-hand.

For him, regional cinema would offer both a professional challenge and a chance to reconnect with the many cultural voices of his home country. It would also allow him to draw on his international experience while working with stories rooted in particular communities and traditions.

His interest is a reminder that an actor's reach need not be confined by the language or industry in which audiences first discover him. After making his mark in a Korean series, Tripathi is open to finding his next character in a very different cinematic landscape.

More than an actor between two countries

Tripathi's ambitions are also beginning to take shape beyond acting. He recently travelled to India to host a K-pop hunt event attended by South Korea's First Lady. He hopes to organise similar events in South Korea for Indian cultural forms, including Bollywood music and folk traditions.

He sees such events as an opportunity to bring people closer through the things they enjoy — music, performance and shared cultural experiences. In time, he hopes to play a larger role in connecting the creative communities of India and South Korea.

There is a natural link between that ambition and the choices he wants to make as an actor. Whether he is taking on a challenging character, exploring regional cinema or helping create cultural exchanges, the underlying interest is the same: discovering what people can learn from one another.

For now, Ali remains the role that introduced Anupam Tripathi to audiences around the world. But he is not treating that success as the destination.

Theatre gave him confidence. Acting continues to teach him about people. His experience in Korea has widened his horizons, and his connection with India keeps opening up new possibilities.

What he wants to do with those experiences may prove just as important as the roles he plays next. Beyond the screen, Tripathi hopes to help create opportunities for artists, bring two countries closer and give students a chance to build a future of their own.

For an actor who does not want to be defined by a single character, the next chapter is already taking shape.