‘IT WILL BE A SHOCK TO SEE ME IN A BIKINI’

Taapsee Pannu says though she also did serious roles in the South Indian film industry, it was tough to break the glam-girl image; in Bollywood, it’s the reverse

After playing intense roles in her last few films such as Pink (2016) Naam Shabana and The Ghazi Attack, actor Taapsee Pannu (left) is happy that the Bollywood audience will finally see her in a glam avatar in Judwaa 2. The actor will reprise Rambha’s role in the much awaited sequel to the 2000 hit film Judwaa. Taapsee has been getting much appreciation ever since the trailer of Judwaa 2 released earlier this week. However, she is not a novice when it comes to such roles. In the South Indian film industry, she had continuously portrayed glamorous characters in commercial films. “Despite the fact that I did some really strong roles later on, my first image of being a glamorous actress was so strong in people’s minds that it was difficult to break it,” says Taapsee, who made her debut with Telugu film Jhummandi Naadam (2010). “It was tough for them to accept that I can do something different where acting was more important,” she adds. In Bollywood, it has been exactly the opposite. “Here, people in the beginning itself have seen me in intense roles. It’s going to be different for them to see me in a glam role in Judwaa 2.” Asked about how comfortable she was donning a bikini in the film, Taapsee laughs, “I really don’t think it was any different for me, but yeah, it will be shocking for the audience [in Bollywood.” Taapsee says that she is quite used to the stereotyping that most actors go through. “More so, because I have been typecast since the beginning of my career. I’ve seen a gradual change from one type to other in both ways — from glam to serious in south films and now vice versa in Bollywood.”