Taapsee Pannu says it has taken years of consistent effort to reach a point where producers are willing to back films on the strength of her name, describing the journey as “relentless work.”
Her latest release, Gandhari, topped Netflix’s non-English film charts in 17 countries, renewing attention to her work in female-led stories.
Reflecting on her journey since Pink and her goal of having audiences watch films on the strength of her name, the actress spoke about the “relentless work” behind it.
Pannu shared, "Well, it’s been a long journey. It’s been relentless work being put in it to reach this stage, because for how long you want to be at the mercy of luck only? It can’t be the only factor deciding which film I get. I cannot be at the mercy of my heroes to feel okay to let me be in a film. And that’s been my quest since Pink, because I tasted blood way too early in my career of what happens when you lead a film, or, you know, when you’re not a secondary character in a film.”
My vision became very clear from there onwards that eventually I do want to achieve a position where the producers think and believe that if she’s there in a film, then it’s worth putting our money in it," the Thapaad actress said.
Her comments highlight her determination to lead films while having greater creative influence over the narratives she pursues.
Rather than simply seeking successful releases, Taapsee Pannu wants to establish herself as an actress whose presence is enough to inspire producers to back a project.
The path she describes began to emerge with Pink, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s 2016 courtroom drama.
Featuring Amitabh Bachchan alongside Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang, the film examined consent and the societal judgments women often face.
As Minal Arora, she played a central role in a story that addressed a broader social issue, marking an important step towards leading films with a strong message.
