‘BEING STRONG RESONATES WITH MY PERSONALITY’
Actor Taapsee Pannu talks about her traits, takes, and Bachchan ties
In person, Taapsee Pannu is every bit the feisty woman you see on screen. But there’s an easy-going side to her as well. Conversations with the actor are usually fun, and intense, too — those are also the traits of her character, Rumi, in Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan, out today.
“There’s a part of me, a part you in Rumi... every girl will see a glimpse of themselves in her,” says Taapsee. She is looking forward to the film’s release, after which she moves on to her next Tamil and Hindi film projects. And in between, there’s Sujoy Ghosh’s Badla. The actor chats with us about films, and marriage plans with Danish shuttler Mathias Boe.
Looking at Pink (2016), Naam Shabana (2017), this year’s Mulk, and now Manmarziyaan, seems you’ve become the goto star for strong female characters.
(Laughs) I agree I’m getting a lot of them... I wish all good female-fronted films that are being made come to me first. Right now, I’m in such a happy space as far as film offers are concerned. Some drastically different roles, different genres are being offered to me.
People ask if I fear getting typecast and stereotyped, and I’m like, ‘Look at the genres I’m delving into, be it action, be it the shy girl in Soorma, a lawyer in Mulk, now Rumi, who’s like fire…’
I think being strong is something that resonates with my personality, it’s on my face. Right now, I’m struggling to get a Judwaa (2; 2017) (laughs).
Your social networks are a proof of the fun you’ve had shooting with Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, and Anurag Kashyap on the sets of Manmarziyaan. Tell us a little more about it.
Yes. Abhishek and Vicky are totally chilled out. As far as Anurag is concerned, I think we both are shamelessly honest. I used to literally bully him on the film sets, and he has pampered me. Being a spontaneous actor, I’d tell him, ‘Sir, jaldi shoot karo, mood ja raha hain’, and he’d run around like a headless chicken
(laughs) so that things worked out faster and he could take my shot. I usually finish my scenes in one or two takes, and he understood that.
But how do you do it in just one or two takes every time?
I psych my brain out before I do it. I’m very good at manipulation. Also, shooting is all about waiting, and I’m not good at that. You can make me work for 14 hours at a stretch, but don’t make me sit. Working with Amitabh Bachchan in Pink, now with Abhishek in Manmarziyaan — it seems you’re getting really close to the Bachchan family?
Yes, and I’m looking forward to working with Jaya (Bachchan) ji, Aishwarya (Rai Bachchan) and, hopefully, in the future (Abhishek’s child) Aradhya, too (laughs).
I’m buddy-like with Amitji and that will never change. We’ve already done two films together. I can message him anytime and he also messages me. I know Abhishek through him and that bridge is always there in my head.
Reports say that you’ve replaced Aishwarya in a cop drama produced by Shailendra Singh? That film isn’t happening anytime soon. Kabhi yeh replace hota hain, kabhi aur. I really don’t know the status.