‘I am pushing a lot of boundaries this year’: Taapsee Pannu

For someone who began her Bollywood innings with the masala fare Chashme Baddoor (2013), Taapsee Pannu seems to have set her career on a different trajectory with Pink (2016). Since then, not only has the actress been seen essaying stronger parts, but she also seems to have decided on her future course of action. In 2018, her performances in Mulk and Manmarziyaan made people forget duds like Dil Juunglee. There already is a buzz around her upcoming release Badla, which is helmed by Sujoy Ghosh and co-stars Amitabh Bachchan. Taapsee admits that she wants to better herself in 2019 with films such as Mission Mangal, Saand Ki Aankh and the bilingual project Game Over lined up in the coming months. Excerpts from a conversation with the actress…

You have kicked off 2019 on a good note, as Badla’s trailer has garnered a positive response…

The response is a validation of sorts — pretty much of what happened in 2018 — of my choices and work. It gives me the confidence and reassurance that people have accepted me. That’s why, this year, I am pushing a lot of boundaries, making it difficult for myself. I know the expectations will increase with every year, so I’m just pushing myself a little more in 2019.

You were supposed to do this adaptation of the Spanish thriller, The Invisible Guest (it wasn’t called Badla then), with John Abraham. But it was shelved...

It was never shelved. I was signed for the film. Apart from producer Sunir Khetarpal and myself, no one else from that team is a part of this movie now. Whatever associations were being tried, didn’t happen. We were constantly talking about who else we could rope in for the project. I remember approaching Sujoy because I felt it was a perfect script for him. But he refused. He was like, ‘I read this script but I’m not able to understand this part’, ‘it’s not my kind of film’. A few months down the line, I learnt that Sir is doing the movie along with Sujoy. I called and blasted the latter, saying that now that Sir (Amitabh Bachchan) was doing it, he was directing it. I still give him grief for that. But it’s good that it fell into place. This film couldn’t have had a better director and cast than it has now. This reaffirms the adage that whatever happens, happens for the best.

You seem to share a good equation with Sujoy...

We have been trying to work together for over three years now. I remember we started talking after Baby (2015). I don’t know how we began keeping in touch; he would randomly call me at 8 am, talk about something not related to any project we were thinking about and bid adieu. Then Badla happened. I’m happy that I’m finally collaborating with him.

There are very few directors whom I can call by their first names, like Sujoy and Anurag (Kashyap). Don’t be surprised if I work with them multiple times because of the rapport we share. I can pick up the phone and tell them, ‘Take me in your film’ or ‘This is a good script, please do it’. Hopefully, Sujoy and I will work together again.

Taapsee Pannu

Having kick-started your Bollywood career with Chashme Baddoor’s remake and a Judwaa redux a few years later, you have set your career on a different trajectory.

Maybe because these are the choices that came to me. There are so many beautiful girls who are brilliant in those roles, that’s why I’m probably pretty far in the queue and they don’t give me a chance to come in those films. I also want to look the glamourous diva kind of heroine. Hopefully, one day, I’ll be the backbone as well as the glam quotient. I think you reap what you sow. But I’m not complaining.

So, is it more satisfying to be the backbone of a movie?

As an actor, it’s definitely more satisfying. I think I can manage versatility in this zone. In the present scenario, you can manage so many types of genres as different characters are being written. If you have courage, you can’t fall into the trap of being stereotyped. Whether you cast me for a 10-15 minute role or for a two-hour one, it doesn’t matter. In Mission Mangal, I’m sharing screen space with so many actors. I’m not deterred that I’ll get two-three scenes lesser than someone else. The point is that the role should be such that people should remember it after walking out of the theatre.

You didn’t shy away from talking about how you were unceremoniously replaced by Bhumi Pednekar in Pati Patni Aur Woh remake...

I voiced my opinion because that was an unprofessional thing to do to an artiste. For an actor, time is money and every day counts. I felt wronged that a month before the shoot, I was told that I wasn’t a part of the film anymore and someone had been signed earlier. My idea was to call out that practice, so that the next time, people think twice before they do it to an actor.

Having begun working with Bhumi on Saand Ki Aankh, was there any awkwardness?

No. The day this news came out, Bhumi was shocked. I had said that it’s a great role and whoever does it, would be lucky. I was travelling and when I landed, I had got a call and message from Bhumi. In fact, we had even begun prepping for Saand Ki Aankh. She said that she didn’t know I was offered the film. I had a word with her. Since then, we don’t discuss work on the sets. We have so many other things to do.