Taapsee Pannu – Not just a pretty face

'Judwaa 2’ star talks about her career trajectory and experiences of working with some of Bollywood’s biggest...

KARACHI: Many aspire to become celebrities one day. Unfortunately, only a handful of them succeed. Taapsee Pannu, the newest kid on the Bollywood block, never dreamt of becoming famous but fate had other plans.

Trailer out: Amitabh Bachchan's 'Pink' will give you goosebumps

In just a couple of years, Taapsee has worked with some of the biggest names in the film industry, having starred in films such as Pink and 2017’s Judwaa 2. Needless to say, she has proved her mettle as both an artist and a commercial actor. The Express Tribune (ET) caught up with the 32-year-old actor to learn more about how her journey through Bollywood has been so far.

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The Express Tribune (ET): How and why did you get into acting? Was it your childhood dream, like it is for many others?

Taapsee Pannu (TP): Actually, I never wanted to be an actor. It was all just experimental. Right after I completed my engineering, I was preparing for my CAT exams to apply for MBA. I had a year on my hand so I thought I’d give modelling a try. I could use the extra cash but I had no intention of making an entire career out of it.

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And so, I did a couple of photo shoots and then was approached by some people to work in South Indian films. I thought it would be okay to go ahead with it as people in Delhi, where I’m originally from, won’t ever find out about it. When I got my first Tamil film award, I realised that acting can be done without much preparation. I don’t need to study it. It’s meant to be done by putting your mind and heart into it.

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ET: What kind of roles do you like? Are you more into serious and action-packed roles or do you prefer romantic and comic characters as well?

TP: Genres don’t matter to me; I would try them all. I just really want my character to be one that cinemagoers can take home with them. My thought process when choosing a role is that I evaluate how interesting it will be. Will people be able to take a piece of my character back home after they’ve watched the film? Is it worth it? It’s only then that I agree to do a character. Having said that, yes, there are still some roles that I would not prefer.

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ET: Are you a method actor?

TP: I am what you call only slightly a method actor, not to an insane extent. For example, I’ll start talking in the same way as my character does, so my speech changes. Apart from that, I try to keep a very good equation with my co-stars. I always go an extra mile with the comfort level I share with them off camera. I feel that it not only helps you befriend others but also adds good chemistry on screen.

ET: What do you think is the downside of being a celebrity?

TP: There are always cons to the pros and with being famous; there are as many downsides as there are upsides. You become public property when you become a celebrity and people often forget that you have a personal life as well. So in some situations, you cannot be yourself.

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When you become well-known, it’s like you sign up for all the bad things that come along with it. But we are humans too. We are allowed to be mad at someone if we want, we are allowed to not speak to someone if we don’t want, and we are allowed to have dinner in peace with our loved ones. I miss it sometimes.

ET: In a short amount of time, you have worked with some very big names. How was acting opposite Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Varun Dhawan?

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TP: Working with them was amazing! Each one of them had a different vibe but what’s common between all three is that they are all workaholics. The kind of work that Amit jee does is something only he is capable of and the frequency with which he is working on films is commendable. Akshay had a very upfront attitude with work as well and no one can come close to Varun’s energy levels. The entire industry lauds him for the kind of energy he brings on set and then on screen as well.

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When I was working with them, I was introduced to different schools of thought. Their style of acting is so diverse from each other that I got to learn something from each one of them.

PHOTO: INDIA TODAY

ET: You played Minal Arora in ‘Pink’ – a girl who has been molested. How did you prepare for that role?

TP: Being a Delhi girl, I know what it’s like living in the city. Afraid of walking out alone at night and cat-calling is something that I have experienced. But thankfully, I was never molested. So the major thing I had to focus on while filming Pink was that I had to actually feel like I was molested.

My director and writer used to have proper conversations with me about molestation and the incident the film revolves around. They would question me like lawyers and bring forth several allegations. Before shooting, we would sit across the table from each other and by the end of the session, my brain would trick me into thinking that I was molested. I think that helped me play the role the way I did because Pink kicks off with the incident instead of it developing over time, which is why every scene was approached the same way.

PHOTO: FILMI BEAT

ET: The film is very relevant to the today's time, both in India and Pakistan. Do you think ‘Pink’ somehow changed people’s perspective when it comes to cases of molestation and rape?

TP: To be honest, I don’t think people’s perspectives have changed. These incidents are still occurring all across the world. We have gotten the topic to the limelight so the elephant in the room has been addressed but it’s still hidden behind closed doors. Families have watched Pink, especially fathers of daughters. I think that keeping hush about the entire debate is not a good thing or beneficial. But I do feel that Pink served as a stepping stone in the right direction.

ET: From the films that have been released in recent times, which is one Bollywood character do you think you could have played better?

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TP: Honestly, I haven’t watched any films lately. From the ones that I have actually watched, I don’t think there was any that made me think that I could have done a better job, maybe because the characters did not appeal to me or because the actor who played the part did a fabulous job that it didn’t make me feel so. I am more than satisfied with the characters I have chosen to play so far.

ET: You’ve worked with Ali Zafar in 2013’s ‘Chashme Baddoor’. How was that experience? Do you have any memories from set?

TP: My experience with Ali was very pleasant. His singing was cherished a lot on set. The thing that impressed me the most about him was his beautiful Punjabi. He spoke like a proper Punjabi sardar and it’s really nice to know that people in Pakistan share the same language and sometimes, even the same dialects as Indians.

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ET: Do you have any favourite artists from Pakistan that you would like to work with?

TP: Yes! Fawad Khan! He’s an extremely good actor and I would really like to work with him someday.

Taapsee Pannu starrer 'Naam Shabana' banned across Pakistan

ET: The tensions between India and Pakistan are currently on a high such that Pakistani artists are now banned from working there. What’s your take on that?

TP: I wouldn’t say things like ‘Art should not be confined to the border'. I think that the soldiers from both the side of the country are the actual victims. They have no personal vendetta against the other but they are the ones who are losing their lives and their families are breaking.

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ET: You’re starring in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Manmarziyan’ up next. Tell us a little about the film. Do you have any other projects lined up after that?

TP: Manmarziyan is releasing this year and it’s an all-out, intense love story. It’s also my first love story – something that I was eagerly waiting to do for the past eight years. So the film makes up for all those years and it’s hitting theatres in September. I had a ball of time working with Anurag and Abhishek Bachchan, and I am looking forward to having people watch the film.

ET: What’s your mantra for success?

TP: I don’t really have a mantra, even though I wish I did. If there had to be one, I think it would be how quick you are able to disconnect from your failures and bounce back on track. I feel that one shouldn’t look back at them but instead move on and aim to do better.

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