Taapsee Pannu: It is unfair to expect me tobe drastically different in every film

Taapsee Pannu is known for her diverse characters, such as Prakashi in Saand ki Aankh (2019) and Rani in Haseen Dillruba (2021), and is often referred to as an “unconventional” heroine. However, the pressure to deliver something out-of-the-box in every film can be overwhelming for the actor.

“I appreciate that people have a certain perception of me, and that they expect me to do something unconventional and different from the norm. But, looking at my work solely through that lens and anticipating something drastically different in every frame of every movie can be harsh, unfair and brutal. While I can experiment with my character, the story and the world around it, there are certain limitations as it’s the same human being performing all of those roles. I do feel the pressure sometimes,” Pannu explains.

The actor believes that if the audience watches her work without any preconceived notions or judgments, they will see variety and uniqueness in each film she does. “I became an actor because I enjoy the craft and the process of it, not for the fame and glory that come with it,” she says.

Pannu has an exciting lineup of movies, including Phirse Aayi Haseen Dillruba (a thriller), Wo Ladki Hai Kahaan (a comedy) and a comedy-drama with actor Shah Rukh Khan, Dunki, about which she did not reveal much.

However, regarding the leaked pictures from the sets of Dunki, the actor shares, “The pictures were taken on the Westminster Bridge in London during a Sunday morning shoot. It’s impossible to stop people when they’ve come to see ‘The Shah Rukh Khan’. I think that was the best Sunday morning for many of us, to see him there on that bridge. While we try to keep people away so they can enjoy certain looks and moments on screen, it’s inevitable when you have such a big star in front of you.”

Ask her if doing comedy in Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan was a conscious choice to break the image that she has created with back to back intense and dramatic characters in films like Thappad,Dobaaraa and Blurr and she says, “Whoever knows me personally, says that they can’t even believe that I do intense stuff on screen because that’s the last thing they expect from me. I am the person who loves to crack jokes on myself. My inherent sense of breaking ice with people is through comedy or humour. Humour is something that I thrive on. So my expectations of doing comedy or choosing comedy scripts was very high.”

But Pannu says she was overjoyed when she heard the script of Wo Ladki Hai Kahaan. “The style of comedy is very me. The kind of things I say in the film are very close to the sense of humour I have in real. I have been a lover of the kind of comedy, which is not all always in-your face…which is sarcastic, more dry. We do not see that very often in Hindi cinema,” she shares.

Pannu is equally enthusiastic about playing Rani in the sequel of Haseen Dillruba, for which she is currently shooting in Agra. “When I started doing it, I remember calling Kanika (Kanika Dhillon-writer) and telling her that after loving..living like Rani Kashyap, I am actually scared if I will be able to enjoy anything else as much. I started falling in love with being Rani Kashyap. I am having a blast shooting for it,” she shares.

Lately, the actor has been posting a lot of pictures in saree, on her social media. Is it her new found love for the attire? She says, “I have always loved wearing sarees. I have worn them on holidays, on important occasions in my personal life and even casually. And I believe saree loves me back to (laughs), as I get some really good pictures in it. The fact that it is so sensuous and yet make a woman look so beautiful, is amazing. So, on one of my off days, I got dressed up and clicked those pictures that I have been posting, and it has received immense love from people,” she wraps up.