I don’t feel like a star: Taapsee

SHE has received appreciations from critics and audiences alike for films like Pink, Naam Shabana and Judwaa 2, but actress Taapsee Pannu, pictured, who has been described as the “most powerful woman of the year” by a magazine, says she is yet to touch stardom and still feels like a struggler.

Considering her achievements, does she feel she has gained stardom?

“Not at all. I don’t even feel like a star. I still feel like a struggler because I need to really work hard and make sure that my Friday works for me. I still don’t feel I am the one who will get the audience into theatres as yet. I don’t see that I have that pull. I am trying to make that,” Taapsee said.

She started her career as a model in 2008 and made her acting debut with the Telugu film, Jhummandi Naadam, in 2010.

Three years later, she stepped into Bollywood with Chashme Baddoor.

“The day I feel my audience is taking a ticket of my film and says ‘It’s Taapsee’s film, let’s go and watch it’, that day I will believe I am a star, before that, no,” she added.

She has featured in a myriad genres, including comedy, thriller, drama, courtroom drama and romance.

Asked if she was trying to balance between genres, she said: “Of course, yes. That is the idea behind mixing things up…”

Taapsee, 30, is riding the burgeoning wave of films with female lead or co-lead roles in Baby, Naam Shabana and Pink.