BOMBAY TIMES (July 21, 2023)
Taapsee Pannu, the pan-Indian star, believes in engaging in diverse activities. Whether it’s her film choices, the campaigns she supports, or her unfiltered presence on social media, she never fails to charm her fans. Now, to provide her followers with a deeper insight into her life and establish a closer connection, the actress has unveiled her own NFT platform called taapseeclub.com.

The purpose behind launching it is to create a positive platform for her fans worldwide and give them a glimpse into her life. By becoming a member, individuals will have the opportunity to experience being on her film sets, celebrate special occasions with her, engage in interactions and a lot more.

Taapsee has already organized an exclusive event to celebrate her birthday, where well-known comedians like Abish Mathew, Angad Ranyal and Gurleen Pannu will be present along with RJ and actor Abhilash Thapliyal. This event promises to be an unforgettable one, as she will be hilariously roasted on her special day.

Taapsee says, “In today’s cluttered world, it becomes crucial to distinguish the content we share with those genuinely interested in actors and supportive of their endeavours. This helps separate the faceless trolls from the true fans. So, I have decided to launch NFTs exclusively for genuine individuals, providing them with an opportunity to get to know me on a more personal level. I aim to present a distinct social media experience for my NFT members, one that differs from my public presence. As an extrovert who enjoys interacting with people, I find social media to be too toxic for expressing my true self. It is always beneficial to have a close-knit community of individuals who genuinely wish the best for you and contribute to personal growth.”

On the work front, Taapsee has an exciting line-up of projects, including Dunki alongside Shah Rukh Khan.
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Launching her NFTs today, Taapsee says social media toxicity made her want to build a community of positivity; plans to have personalised events with NFT members
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 21, 2023)

Her fans’ love is one of the pillars of her stardom, believes Taapsee Pannu. The actor’s desire to stay connected with them made her join social media early on, even launching her personal app in 2018. Venturing into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) then is a natural progression for her. “I had no support system in the industry. My fans and followers made me a public figure,” she recounts.

But with social media came trolls and negativity. While Pannu initially tried to stay unaffected by the social media hate, it eventually took a toll on her, like it does on most. “Everyone had their own motivations to be on social media, but I wanted to be in a community that gives an honest critique of my work. I don’t want to be around people who take a dig at me and derive pleasure from it. For long, I kept looking away from the dark side. But it was hindering my communication with people who help me grow as a human being. Given the daily pressures, I have no bandwidth to handle toxicity. I want to be in a healthy and  positive environment.”

Her pursuit of building a community of like-minded people has made her look towards NFTs, which she is launching today. In the past few years, NFTs—essentially unique digital assets based on blockchain technology— have taken the digital art and collectibles’ world by storm. In the West, many, from Shawn Mendes to Emily Ratajkowski, have jumped on the bandwagon.

“Hollywood actors use social media for work, and NFTs is their way to have personal interaction. I want to take the same route. I will release limited NFTs. I want to keep a controlled community. That way, it will be easy for me to give personalized attention.”

The actor is beginning with member-level NFTs, in which events and activities will be the focus. “The members will be invited to personalized activities. The next round of NFTs will have higher values and stakes. I want them to come and attend shoots with me, and walk the red carpet with me. I am open to the idea of attending members’ birthdays and special days.”