Taapsee Pannu Discusses Her Journey and Goal of Having Producers Back Films on Her Name

Taapsee Pannu on Building a Career Where Producers Back Her Films

Taapsee Pannu has spoken about her long-term goal of reaching a stage in her career where producers view her presence as a reason to invest in a film. Reflecting on her journey since the film Pink, the actress explained that building this position has required consistent effort and a conscious attempt to move beyond dependence on luck or the decisions of male co-stars.

Her latest release, Gandhari, has brought renewed attention to her work in female-led stories. The film trended as the No. 1 non-English film on Netflix in 17 countries, adding to Taapsee’s experience of headlining projects.

Reflecting on her career path, Taapsee stated: “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.”

Her comments highlight her focus on building a career where she can lead projects and have a greater say in the stories she takes on, establishing credibility that encourages producers to back a project with her at its center.

The journey she refers to began to take shape with Pink, the 2016 courtroom drama directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. Starring Amitabh Bachchan alongside Taapsee, Kirti Kulhari, and Andrea Tariang, the film explored consent and the social scrutiny faced by women, with Taapsee's role as Minal Arora placing her at the heart of the story.

As she reflects on her career through the lens of Gandhari, Pink remains a significant reference point in her pursuit of opportunities where her performance and presence can help drive a film.