It is purported that he was alluding to Tripathi pilfering Manoj Bajpayee's slippers from a lodging. Jha used the incident as an example of how their sufferings are glamorized.

Pankaj Jha was questioned why it took years for performers like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pankaj Tripathi to gain popularity, even though the business recognized their brilliance.