Tapsee, Bhumi on targe
michael@khaleejtimes.com
DESPITE ALL THE
controversies surrounding the film, Taapsee Pannu, who is known to play strong roles in her movies, has a very solid reason to take up the role of an octogenarian sharpshooter in her latest film Saand Ki Aankh.
“Having two lead females, both with equal weightage is what piqued my interest in the film,” said the actress while speaking to City Times
ahead of release of the movie in the UAE this weekend.
Based on the true story of two of the oldest sharpshooters in the world – Chandro and Prakashi Tomar from Johri village in Uttar Pradesh. Taapsee plays Prakashi, aka Revolver Dadi, while her co-star Bhumi Pednekar plays Chandro in this biopic.
“I don’t really understand why other actors run away from such projects. I know actresses who are not comfortable sharing screen space with another female stars because they want only their character to be in the limelight. I really don’t believe in all this. I feel if you are good enough, if you are secure as a human being and as an actor, you don’t have to feel insecure about such things,” said Pannu who has delivered commendable performances in movies like Pink and Mission Mangal that featured multiple female actors.
“I’ve worked in films where I’ve allowed others to grab the spotlight
– be it a hero or another actress. For instance, in Mission Mangal, there were so many of us and Vidya Balan’s character was more fleshed out than all the others. But we were all comfortable in our zones and made a mark in our own way. So that’s the kind of confidence you need as an actor. You don’t have to be the centre of attraction in all your films. That’s how I choose my films and will continue doing that,” she added.
While Tapsee doesn’t believe in hogging screen space, she endeavours to make an impact through her work. “Because sometimes when they (producers) approach me (for a role), they might think that I will not take up a role if I’m not the central character. That’s not true. Every year I do a film in which I’m not the central character. I do it to make everyone aware that I am open to and comfortable doing all (sorts of) roles,” Taapsee explained.
There were stories doing the rounds that it was Taapsee who chased debutant director Tushar Hiranandani for Saand Ki Aankh. “Frankly speaking, I did not know anything about the script. I didn’t even know if he (Tushar) was working on the film. I had heard that Reliance had a script and were interested in making a women-based film. That got me interested and I reached out to them. I have always wanted to do a movie with two leading ladies, with equal calibre,” Taapsee said.
“Unlike other movies, where you have one female supporting the other or two women fighting over the leading man, Saand Ki Aankh gives equal status to both characters,” she added.
True story
Though the movie is based on a true story, Taapsee did not know much about the Tomars before reading the script. “I had heard about them, but never met them. I had seen them on TV shows like Satyamev Jayate and India’s Got Talent, but it was only after reading the script that I really got to know their story.”
So what drew her to the role? “The fact that they (Tomars) decided to do what they did (despite their old age and societal restrictions). They had never ever lived for themselves and spent their entire lives working for the family. Before marriage they used to work for their mothers and after marriage, for their husbands. They did not want their daughters and granddaughters to lead this kind of life,” she said.
Talking about how she picks her roles, Taapsee said, “Conventionally, I get offered roles where the character has layers and vulnerabilities. But I mostly get roles that go with my personality. Whenever I hear a story with a strong character, I gravitate towards it naturally. I would say it’s my personality that pulls me towards such roles.”
In Bollywood, generally actresses are reluctant to work in films that feature two females in the lead but in Taapsee’s case she was happy to share screen space with Bhumi.
Working with Bhumi
out in the UA
“Bhumi was the main reason I agreed to do Saand Ki Aankh. When I spoke to Tushar, I told him, ‘whoever you choose, make sure you get a good actress onboard’. I can’t bring out my best unless I have a good actress on the sets who I can react to. They help me perform better and up my game. I’m happy they chose Bhumi because of the kind of choices she has made in the past. I was excited to work with her and from the time we started filming, we became great friends. We supported each other during our struggles (while shooting for the film). We didn’t work like two separate individuals, but bonded together as one unit.
Saand Ki Aankh has had its fair share of controversies. Many protested the casting of two young actresses when there were so many talented senior stars, but Taapsee is not affected by the criticism. “There will always be people who will support you and others who won’t. People should not waste their time and energy talking about who should or should not play the lead in the movie. In fact, I took it as a compliment when people showed interest in the movie and wanted to be part of the
I can’t bring out my best unless I have a good actress on the sets who I can react to. They help me perform better and up my game. Taapsee Pannu