Do or die: No second chances in Bollywood

‘Pink’ star Taapsee Pannu on opportunities in Indian cinema

Actor Taapsee Pannu, who hails from a non-film background, shared there is no dearth of work for an outsider in Indian cinema but the only problem is that one does not get a second chance.

The Chashme Baddoor star feels actors are offered multiple projects, every now and then but how many of them are worth picking up and actually get made is what matters in shaping their careers.

“The only problem is you will not get a second chance if you go wrong. You have to keep proving yourself again and again,” IANS quoted Pannu as saying. “When your first film releases, the kind of offers that you get will be quite a lot because the industry is so big but how many worthy ones you pick up are what shape your career.”



The diva, who will now be seen in Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Pink, said she gave the nod to the film the minute she read the script. “I didn’t know Mr Bachchan was part of this film initially. It has such an engaging story. It feels great and I feel honoured that I was approached for this film. I can’t say that this will be a turning point in my career, but yes it’s a step in the right direction for me,” added Pannu.

Pink puts a spotlight on violence against women in urban areas. Pannu feels it is tragic that the issue of gender equality is still being deliberated upon. “It is one of the tragedies of today’s world that we are still discussing this issue,” The Indian Express quoted her as saying, in a separate interview.

The actor plays a sexual abuse survivor in the upcoming Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury film. “Molestation cases have gotten worse over the years but are more in the limelight now. The victims have started coming out in the open,” said the 29-year-old.

Pannu revealed she had doubts over the title Pink, as she thought it stereotypes the colour with women, but by the end of the shooting of the film, her doubts were cleared. “When I first heard the title, I asked why? Because it is the story of three girls so we are keeping it Pink? Aren’t we pushing it? … But then the director explained his logic behind it and I understood,” she stated.

Pannu said for a woman there are many do’s and dont’s, which the film wants to break away from. “If you are a woman, you are not supposed to do this, or that. We want to break these norms through the film. We want to break the stereotypes attached to colour and women.”

While Pannu does see herself as a feminist, she does not feel the need to show that to the world and would rather fight for her rights than sit and ask for them. “I am not going to take a flag and run across India Gate for that. I will stand for equality. I would like to fight for it, but just if I’m given a fair chance,” she said.

Pink is set to hit theatres today.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2016.

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