Cinema VinesIn an interview with PTI, Mumbai‑based actress Taapsee Pannu revealed that she has begun rejecting roles that would fit neatly into the predictable mould she fears becoming trapped in. Speaking about the way the industry casts actresses, Pannu said that for glamorous parts, a handful of women are routinely called upon, and similarly, another set is reserved for issue‑driven dramas. “Everybody is going into their comfort zone and using tried‑and‑tested methods,” she told reporters, adding that she has started turning down projects that she feels the audience can easily anticipate the ending of. “I’ve actually started turning down films for this reason, telling makers that the audience will easily guess the ending. So, ‘Don’t cast me in this, it’s bad for your film’,” she explained, noting that she has even “de‑sold” herself from a few offers.
Pannu’s career has been built on unconventional choices, with hard‑hitting dramas such as Pink, Mulk, Thappad and Assi earning her a reputation for playing strong women. She admitted that these roles came at a time when mainstream, cliched female leads were not available, forcing her to take on the kinds of characters that later became commercially successful. “It’s a snowball effect,” she said. “From the beginning of my career, I had no options in regular mainstream cliched roles, which are actually money‑spinners for actresses. I didn’t get those kinds of roles; hence I took the other type of roles, and to my luck, those films and roles later became mainstream.”
Looking ahead, Pannu is eager to experiment with characters that defy audience expectations. She highlighted her upcoming Netflix action‑drama Gandhari and expressed excitement about revisiting the action genre after a decade. The film, set in the fictional town of Joypurra, follows Bani, a mother who loses her eyesight, and is slated to showcase Pannu in a lead role. She also noted that her role as an influencer in the 2024 comedy Khel Khel Mein would give her a chance to step away from her usual hard‑core roles.
Speaking about the challenges of women‑led action films, Pannu pointed out that they are typically made on smaller budgets compared to male‑led counterparts. “We have come quite far with men doing action because exponentially a much higher number of films have been made, where men have done action, so the budgets of those films are way ahead,” she said. “Unfortunately, with women doing action, we haven’t reached those numbers in terms of investment. Hence, there is a limitation that you may not be able to see action of that scale because some things require technology, and technology is extremely expensive.”
With a career that has spanned drama, comedy, and action, Pannu remains committed to breaking typecast molds. She believes that by refusing predictable roles and embracing diverse characters, she can continue to grow as an artist while challenging industry norms. Her upcoming projects, including Gandhari and the ensemble comedy Khel Khel Mein, promise to showcase her versatility and keep audiences guessing what she will do next.
