Taapsee Pannu is known for niche, hard-hitting cinema, but the actor had a brush with mainstream Bollywood when she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in his 2023 film Dunki. Compared to Shah Rukh’s previous outings, Pathaan and Jawan, Dunki’s performance at the box office was seen as relatively subpar. However, for Taapsee it was the biggest commercial success of her career.
In a recent interaction, the actor spoke about how the film did not lead to her being cast in more mainstream films and why she believes talent alone is often not enough to land such projects.
‘The basis of landing these roles isn’t your talent’
Speaking to News18, Taapsee argued that female leads in mainstream films are often inconsequential and replaceable. She said that actresses who have stronger industry connections and greater visibility tend to have an advantage when it comes to bagging such roles, something she feels she lacks.
She said, “I feel that all actors are replaceable. It’s not like ki yeh role iske ilaava koi aur kar hi nahi sakta. They may do it differently but I think everyone can pull off every role. But the female characters in these so-called mainstream and commercial films are ones that can be played by anyone. And the basis of landing these roles isn’t your talent It’s your market, saleability, contacts, visbility, presence and influence. All of these factors more than an actor’s talent come into play. And I know it for a fact that I’m lagging behind when it comes to these factors. The only basis on which I can get a film is my talent. The only reason I got to work on Dunki is because Raju sir had seen my work. He puts his foot down for me.”
‘Characters in a commercial film aren’t significant’
Taapsee gave full credit to Rajkumar Hirani for casting her in Dunki and for making what she described as an unconventional casting choice. She also admitted that such instances are not very common in the industry, which is why she feels she has not gone on to land more big-ticket mainstream films.
She added, “Usually, the characters in a commercial film aren’t significant enough and so, it doesn’t matter which actress is playing the part. If an actress fits into their budget and has a certain market value, they immediately cast her. Mainstream films that cast an actress purely on the basis of talent are far and few. And directors like Raju sir, who are so sure of the actress they want, are even fewer.”
Taapsee’s latest film
Taapsee was last seen in Gandhari, which follows a mother’s relentless pursuit to find and rescue her kidnapped daughter. The film explores themes of revenge and redemption as she embarks on a harrowing journey to bring her daughter home. Gandhari received mixed to negative reviews from critics and audiences.