Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 18, 2018)

Taking over the reins from Pink (2016) co-star Amitabh Bachchan to play a lawyer in the courtroom drama, Mulk, Taapsee Pannu is also imbibing the actor’s mannerisms to play her part convincingly. A novice when pitted against the veteran, Pannu says Bachchan became her reference point for her role, which sees her seeking justice for a client she believes is being framed owing to his religion.

“On celluloid, Bachchan sir’s character in Pink, his portrayal of a stern and convincing lawyer was the best point of reference for me,” says Pannu of her part as Aarti Mohammed in Anubhav Sinha’s Mulk, that features Rishi Kapoor in the lead. “Since I have worked with him in the film, I have learned how he executed the role. While we are diverse as actors, and the situation my character is in, is different, there were nuances that I picked up from watching him personally.”

Of the elements she found herself admiring the most are his demeanour and voice modulation. “Sir’s sternness is something I observed closely. He could build the aura that the character needed.”