Pankaj debuted in 2004 with "Run" and has since then has worked in more than 40 films and 60 television shows. His breakthrough role came in 2012 with Anurag Kashyap's "Gangs Of Wasseypur" film series.

He has received appreciation for his roles in films including "Fukrey", "Masaan", "Nil Battey Sannata", "Bareilly Ki Barfi", "Newton", "Fukrey Returns" and "Stree" among many others.

On the OTT platform, Pankaj has gained a major fan base as Guruji in "Sacred Games" and Kaleen bhaiya in "Mirzapur".

Talking about how he still remains so grounded, Pankaj said: "A man who sees a lot of highs and lows in life doesn't need yoga to stay grounded. Because when you see ups and downs, you understand the meaning of life, and then you don't have to make an extra effort."