Taapsee Pannu says talent alone won’t land Bollywood roles; industry favors marketability

Taapsee Pannu, celebrated for her bold, niche roles, had a brief foray into mainstream Bollywood when she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in 2023’s Dunki. While the film’s box‑office run was modest compared to Khan’s recent blockbusters like Pathaan and Jawan, it marked the highest‑grossing project of Pannu’s career.

Speaking to News18, the actress reflected on why Dunki did not open doors to further big‑budget offers. She argued that a star’s talent alone is rarely enough to secure lead roles in commercial Hindi cinema. “The basis of landing these roles isn’t your talent,” she said. “It’s your marketability, saleability, contacts, visibility, presence and influence.” Pannu added that she feels she lags behind in these areas, which she believes explains the limited opportunities that have followed her performance with Shah Rukh Khan.

In the interview, Pannu also highlighted the role of industry connections. She noted that female leads are often seen as interchangeable, with casting decisions driven more by market value than by the depth of the character. “The characters in a commercial film aren’t significant enough, so it doesn’t matter which actress is playing the part,” she said. “If an actress fits into their budget and has a certain market value, they immediately cast her.”

Despite these challenges, Pannu credited director Rajkumar Hirani for giving her a chance in Dunki. She described the casting choice as unconventional, pointing out that directors who trust an actor’s talent over commercial considerations are rare. “Mainstream films that cast an actress purely on the basis of talent are far and few,” she added, underscoring the scarcity of such opportunities.

Her most recent outing, Gandhari, follows a mother’s relentless quest to rescue her kidnapped daughter. The film, which explores revenge and redemption, received mixed to negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. Pannu’s candid comments shed light on the structural barriers that even accomplished actors face in Bollywood’s market‑driven landscape.