Taapsee Pannu interview

 “Badla is not finished until it is finished”: Taapsee Pannu (Indus Age Exclusive Interview)

‘Badla’ starring actors Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu, that hit theatres this month has kept the audience gripped and hooked on to the screen for its beautifully crafted plot. As the who-dunnit tale continues to keep cinema goers in tenterhooks, Indus Age spoke to the very talented actor Taapsee Pannu who is known for taking up bold and fearless characters, where she gets candid about taking up different films, why she took up ‘Badla’,  her experience of working with Mr Bachchan and more. Read on:

By Nidhi Kumari

Your selection of films are completely different from what the trend or norm is. What all aspects you look at while selecting a film?

There are majorly two aspects which I keep in mind while selecting a film. First is: when I hear a script, I want to decided as an audience whether it will be worth my hard-earned money to go and spend it at the theatre and watch it. Secondly, if it will be worth the three hours of my life which I am going to take out exclusively for this film. Because money can come back but time will not.

In any film that you’ve acted, your role is as important as the male protagonist, and this has been a case with every film of yours. Is this deliberately done or you make the characters stand out yourself?

Well! I would like to believe that it is a mix of two, honestly. I don’t choose whether I am at par or not but I should be important. I should be relevant in the film in such a manner that if you take out my character, the film shouldn’t move ahead the way it does; these are the things I definitely keep in mind.

Whereas I don’t really care about the screen space in terms of for how much time I am there on-screen, that doesn’t matter. What matters is how much you remember my character when you move out of the theatre. Is it that impactful? Then yes, it is exciting for me to do. Eventually, you have to be secure as an actor also, to be able to pull off that 10-15 minutes role in an amazing way that the audience remember you when they walk out of the cinema hall.

 Talking about your film ‘Badla’, what persuaded you to do it?

When I read the story I realised I had not read anything of this sort, especially murder  mystery is a genre which we don’t see very often lately. I got excited with that and I got super excited with my character as well. My character comes into play after I have decied whether a story is worth or not, because if a film is not good, it doesn’t matter how brilliant a character you play. A story has to be great and when that was good for me I realised that I haven’t done this character  till now. So, I will kind of put myself in not so comfortable zone and push myself to see how I am going to do that. So that kind of excited me.

Working with legendary film actor Mr Amitabh Bachchan is a feeling of its own. Tell us about that.

The best thing about him is the way he moulds himself according to the age of the co-actor. When he’s with me I don’t really feel that I am working with someone who is older to my Dad, and is actually closer to my Granddad but I don’t really feel like that. I don’t know how he manages to do that and makes you feel that he’s not from a different generation, that is commendable about him and I really enjoy his company.

 Any special moment during the shoot of the film that will stay with you:

The fact that the entire screen space with Mr Bachchan sitting across the table and  talking. Maximum screen time is when me and Mr Bachchan are sitting and talking. I haven’t spent that amount of time with any other co-actor on-screen, until now, and I don’t know when he did that too either. This one is very special. I will really remember this. I don’t think many get this chance and experience.

What do you want the audience to take away from ‘Badla’  when they are out of the cinema hall?

I want the audience to wait till the credit rolls because if you get up before the credit roll starts you will miss out on a huge thing . The film ‘Badla’ is not finished until it is finished. Make sure you sit and wait till the end and then when they walk out of the theatre I just want them to be surprised out of their minds, that’s what I thought when I saw the film. It should take them by surprise and they would probably want to watch it again to understand, “how did this happen?”

 Talking about your journey,  in the Indian film industry, how do you describe it, given to the fact that most of your films have done well both critically and commercially?

It has been a slow and steady journey. From eight  years back when I had no idea about how the industry works and things work here, so I started learning from scratch. Made mistakes in the beginning of my career , learned from them and tried not to repeat my mistakes. It’s a very steady journey from where I started to where I have come.

I never had any goal setting in my mind when I began this career as I never wanted to be an actor so I had no idea  where I am heading.

Now, I have found my course, the path while I was acting, and how my work is getting received slowly. Defined my path that this is the direction I should be moving and now to just see  audience noticing my choices, the kind of films I do and acknowledging it slow and steady is really good.

I didn’t have an overnight success considering  I don’t have people backing me up. The good part about this situation is that whatever you achieve the whole credit goes to your own self. Nobody is there to take the credit that it’s because of X or Y person that she is there where she is. That is the biggest high I get when I look back.

You are an inspiration for many for your bold attitude towards life. What do you have to say to all women who look up to you as an inspiration?

I just tell everyone that if I can do it, so can you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do this or do that. You decide for yourself. Nobody else knows you better than yourself. Don’t let anybody else dictate things to you.

What is the secret behind your cheerful and confident face ready to take on the world?

When you don’t fear things, you don’t have much to lose. If you see where I come from, I don’t think I have much to lose. Whatever I have built is purely on my credibility and strength . I don’t have a fear that some one might just take away that and I won’t even realise. I have no fear because no one can take away that as it is mine. That fearlessness makes me very secure and confident, makes me feel happy that whatever it is big or small it is mine.

Your  message for your fans in Australia:

I tell this to everyone who watch my film and likes me across oceans and continents that you people are the one who make us feel omnipresent. That kind of feeling is grateful. You are hugely responsible for our popularity and thank you for your love as your love for us is also something that contributes to the box office collection. Thank you so much for accepting me in such a short span. I say short span because I didn’t have a plan or  path laid down for me but people have been very kind and nice in accepting me. So, thank you.

(Interview courtesy: Mind Blowing Films and Red Chillies Entertainment)