Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 23, 2019)

Taapsee Pannu is happy with the way 2019 has treated her. Her performances in Badla and Saand Ki Aankh gained rave reviews. Another of her film, Mission Mangal crossed the ₹150 crore mark and became one of the highest grossing films of the year. Ask Taapsee about her professional trajectory this year and she says, “All of them, including my regional film, Game Over, were driven by strong female characters. I feel validated to see that I have audiences of all kinds who would want to see my films provided the content is good.”

She’s happy that viewers are giving her films a chance and accepting them. “It might have taken them some time to accept my films but word-of-mouth has played an instrumental role. I’m glad that the audience is receptive and aren’t completely shunning my films. The fact that my choice as an actor is getting accepted is giving me huge confidence. Every year, I try to push the envelope, and this year has given me the confidence to push it further,” says Taapsee with a smile.

The actor shares that she has consciously chosen films of diverse genres so that they reflect her versatility and she gets to display her novelty to the audience every time they watch her on the big screen. “If you’re going to do four to five films in a year and you know that a film of yours is going to release every three months, you’ve to make sure that you come with a different film, a different look, a different genre and a different character every time, otherwise, people will get bored of you. That’s particularly important for an actor like me who’s still trying to get her own audience to the theatres because I want them to keep seeing me and giving me more chances before they blindly trust me and start thinking that my movies are worth their time and money,” the 32-year-old elaborates.

And the Manmarziyaan (2018) actor is happy to be climbing the ladder of success slowly. “It’s happening steadily. Things haven’t really changed for me overnight. I didn’t have things easy. Anything that shoots up overnight falls overnight. I want to make a strong foundation for myself so that even if I falter at any point, I won’t come crashing down. I want the audience to believe in me even if I go wrong somewhere,” she signs off.

Taapsee Pannu gets ready for Anurag Kashyap’s next, a ‘ghost-less’ supernatural-thriller which rolls towards the year-end in a ‘gloomy’ setting abroad
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2019)

After Manmarziyaan, which Anurag Kashyap directed, and Saand Ki Aankh, which he has produced, Taapsee Pannu, the leading lady of both, is looking to reinvent herself with the filmmaker’s next directorial. This one is a yet-untitled supernatural thriller which, she promises, will “present something Indian cinema has never witnessed before”.

Point out that that’s a tall order, especially when one is trying to do away with ghosts in a genre that has thrived on them, the actress reasons that what’s not a part of the real world, becomes supernatural, like Christopher Nolan’s Inception. “My last thriller, Game Over, had some scenes that made you sit up and ask, ‘What just happened?’ This one won’t be spooky in that sense,” she asserts.

Prod her more and she adds that she doesn’t want to reveal too much because it’s a new concept but admits that there are no jumpscares, gore or dark visuals. “It’s the supernatural element that affects the lives of all those involved and also my appearance,” she adds.

Taapsee will be sporting more than one look in the film but informs that she will not have to go through a physical metamorphosis as she did to play ‘Revolver Daadi’ Prakashi Tomar in her upcoming sports biopic. “In this film you will be able to recognise me easily, but it will be a different Taapsee from the one you know,” she says enigmatically.

Anurag made her dye her hair red in Manmarziyaan. What does he have in mind for her this time around? “Knowing him, he’s probably going to throw a bomb at me. I’m mentally prepared that two days before we roll, he will expect something drastic. Apart from going bald, I’m ready for anything,” she chuckles, hoping she gets this script well in advance and not two days before they start shooting, so she has some more clarity on her character and her confrontation with the supernatural.

The film will be shot outside India since it requires a particular setting. “The houses need to be a certain kind. We will be shooting the film towards the year-end and many countries at that time are freezing. Our film isn’t set during winter, so we don’t need to go anywhere chilly. We are looking for a place that is gloomy,” she explains.

The story has many characters but there won’t be a male protagonist. Taapsee will lead from the front again. “I don’t have a choice,” she laughs. “I hope I don’t let anyone down.”

Quintessential Bollywood outsider Taapsee Pannu breaks down her craft, speaks about her early life, entry into films and, of course, explains everything you want to know about her unusual name
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; June 22, 2019)

Your uniqueness in showbiz starts with your name itself. Do you know any other Taapsee Pannu in the world?
I know Tapsi.

Double-A, P, S, and double-E?
On all my legal documents, my dad actually kept my name as T-A-P-A-S-E-E.

That's what's in your passport?
Yes. By the time I was old enough to say, "Dad, please don't do this to me," it was too late. T-A-P-S-I, for him, in numerology, wasn't good enough. It needed to have two Es, and an extra A, for some weird reason. That's T-A-P-A-S-E-E (my name). In school, during roll call, the teacher would stop at roll number 47, and go, "Taa Taa…" Being used to it, I'd just say, "Taapsee Pannu, present ma'am!"
I was not fine with correcting every Indian out there. That it is Tapsi, not Tapa-see. For screen, I just shifted (my dad's) two As, to make it Taapsee!

Starting out, did no South producer ask you to make it closer to say Jaya Prada?
Thank God. I wasn't ready to change these basic things about myself, for anything, or anyone. And I really like my unique name, among thousands of Poojas and Nehas, who simultaneously turn around, when their names get called!

No knock on Poojas, Nehas, before they started trolling you on Twitter, okay?
I'm used to people going after me on Twitter, so it's fine! But even they would agree, I'm sure.

The other intriguing thing about you is you'd never acted, before hitting the screen — not in even in school/college.
Well, I was pretty dramatic in life, so really didn't need the drama before camera, or audience. I'm a professionally trained dancer. In that sense, performing on stage has been my first love; and I was into public speaking. And I thought why should I pretend to be someone else [with acting]? A teacher did once force me to act on stage, in lieu of allowing me to host the show. I have no memories of that first and last stage experience, other than the fact that I moved back to hosting.

After all that, from Delhi, you land up straight down South, to act; that too in a language you didn't know at all?
I'm an experimentally unpredictable person. Even I don't know what I'm going to do next. During college, my parents would say, "Khud kamaoge, toh pata chalega, paise ki value!" So I said, "Dekh lete hai kamake kaisa hota hai!" I started modelling. It was simple. I could manage with studies, which I never wanted to give up for anything. In third year, I'd already got placed at Infosys. But in my final year, when I took CAT, I had got an 88 percentile. I could work. Or join a B-School. But I knew I could do better [in CAT]. So I decided to take a [gap] year…

Basically IIMs or none?
Yeah, my way or the highway. During that year, being the hyperactive person I am — just sitting at home, studying, was driving me crazy. Modelling went out the window, because it was getting too boring. I had stopped it in my third year itself. And then I began getting calls for films from the South. They get a lot of girls from North, who don't speak the language. They were like, "We can teach, you'll be comfortable." They were more confident about my skills than I was. So I thought fine, let me give it a shot. I wanted to try something different. I went down there with my CAT books, which I couldn't even open, because I was so deeply into those dialogue sheets, in a language I had never heard in my life. I didn't think it was going to be so difficult.

Back in the day, many Bollywood actors said, "1 2 3 4," for dialogues in the South.
Even I've heard that. I can't. I can't take prompting either, because it distracts me. Also, I'm a science student, so not good with 'rattofying' lines. I began to learn them by heart, because of which I was one of the first actresses from the North who dubbed for herself in Telugu. I wasn't as consistent with Tamil. But I learnt both.

Have seen some of your Tamil interviews. You reply in English.
Yeah, Tamil is only incoming; no outgoing. But Telugu, it happens both ways!

[Speaking of languages], you graduated in computer engineering.
Yes, I loved the study part of it. Basically I was a proud front-bencher, whenever I was in class, answering questions, following up with what's happening. This was of course rare. Because I was always outside for some competition, modelling assignment or the other. I have been a jack of all trades, master of none.

Were you the only girl in class?
Imagine that being Taapsee, good for the guys! [Laughs]. No, there were 12 girls in a class of 60. Not that bad. Yeah, the ratio is quite off. But it's not the same Taapsee Pannu as you're looking at right now. I'm sure they [my classmates] do a double-take every day, when they look at what I'm doing now!



In that sense, you defy the right-brain [creative], left-brain [analytical skills] theory, where one is supposed to be only strong at either.
Something really crazy happened up here [laughs]. There is a weird kind of balance that has co-existed within me since I was a child. Even now I have a certain bent of mind, where I run certain businesses, and I have fair idea about marketing of films as well. At the same time, I choose films that aren't conventionally market-savvy.

As an actor, you're what they call a 'one-take artiste', where you psyche yourself into becoming a particular person, and it all comes out in an unrepeatable go. Must be scary for the director, right?
I will give a second take. But I warn directors that it probably won't be as good as the first. That is how it is. And that is actually a negative that comes from not being a trained actor. I don't know how to get that [moment] back again. Once I empty myself the first time on, it's very difficult to fill myself up with the same ingredients.

Would you be scared though if they didn't like your first take?
No, because then they'll tell me that I'm going in the wrong direction. And that is a totally new thing for me. The scary thing is if there's a technical glitch in a crucial shot that they don't want to get rid of. I've had directors say they're okay —even if slightly out of focus.

Does it then become harder for you to get in and out of that shot/character as well?
I laugh about the fact that I'm becoming a crazy person, with every film. I rid 90 per cent of a character from my system, and 10 per cent stays, changing something in me.

Give an instance?
I'll give you an example. During Manmarziyaan, my sister and I went out for dinner. We were standing at the pavement, waiting for the driver to get the car. There was a man at the red signal, slyly taking out his camera on a bike. It's not like he asked for a picture. I'm a public figure; not a public property, like Qutub Minar, or something. There's a clear difference.

And you whacked the shit out of him?
I, in Rumi-mode, went, "Phone andar rakh le, nahi toh tod dungi!" My sister was like, "I'm not with her!" I also instantly realised, this is not me.

That guy should be glad you hadn't stepped out of Game Over.
[Laughs] My sister was actually worried after Badla, wondering who I'll kill, once I come back! I knew that's not a good character to bring home. With Game Over, I was getting borderline depressed. I had to keep thinking about my biggest fears, again and again, for 35 days, every single day, for 12 hours. I used to text my sister, since she is my only bouncing board. I don't freak my parents out. It would be quite scary for them to see their daughter going through these mental ups and downs.

Have you considered seeing a therapist after a role?
I thought about it couple of times. But I go on a vacation after every film as a ritual. If I feel it [the character] is still not leaving me, I will. Until now, it's been fine.

What happened after Pink? That's another character, who's been through trauma.
Before Pink, I never thought I could cry without glycerine. I never used glycerine in Pink. During that shoot in Delhi, thankfully, I was staying with parents. It was all fine. But after the film got over, I would cry at the drop of a hat. I'd look at a beggar, and cry. I'm watching Jana Gana Mana on television, and I'm crying. I don't know what had really changed.

You please take care, okay?
[Laughs] Yeah, I'm trying! I've some really good people around to keep me sane.

Guess movies like Judwaa 2, Chashme Baddoor help too?
A lot! Sometimes in that world, you're made to realise that you don't really belong here. It's almost like a favour that you're [getting to] do this [role]. In this [alternative] side of the world, where most of my filmography belongs, they wonder why I have to succumb, or downgrade [myself] to do that! So either way, I hear shit from both sides. [laughs]. I might be the only one to create that middle path that probably didn't exist before; at least you'll remember me for it.

If one were to look at turning point for Hindi films for you, I'd guess it's literally that kickass introduction scene in Baby. You just unexpectedly popped up like a storm, haven't looked back since. Take us through that scene?
I'd just finished Chashme Baddoor [first Hindi film]; looking for the next. And I wanted to up my game. I'd heard of a film with two girls — one cast opposite Akshay [Kumar] sir; the other, who's an agent, with around 10 minutes on screen, but an action sequence by herself. Something in me suggested I should go after that role. I kept pushing the casting director to fix a meeting with Neeraj [Pandey] sir, who had seen me as a coy, shy girl in Chashme. So obviously I wouldn't qualify. When I met Neeraj sir, he gave me dialogues, that I just read. It was not an audition, otherwise I would've failed. He just spoke to me about my athletic side. I was a lot into sport. Somehow he was convinced.

You'd done martial arts?
No, but I was extremely physically active. So it [martial art] would look natural on someone who's into sport. I began training for martial arts. Now I had this injury from my dancing days. While trying to do a split, I had once injured my ligament. That injury started resurfacing with those high kicks I was practicing for Baby. I was so scared to tell anyone about it, lest I lose that role. So I would train for two hours, then go for physiotherapy for an hour — every day, for six to seven weeks. The first scene we shot for Baby in the Nepal schedule was my fight. There were two days kept for it. We finished it in a day. I had also taken Vitamin B and D injections, to make sure it [the injury] doesn't resurface. After the scene, when I told them about this injury, and how I was so scared to lose the role. They went, "Stupid; we wouldn't have done that!"



That scene might as well be the first to inspire an entire film — Naam Shabana.
Basically I've realised, what works for me, is when people don't expect anything. People did not expect that in an Akshay Kumar film, anyone will have a substantial role. Or even in Pink, for that matter, with Amitabh Bachchan being there.

Mulk as a drama would be a natural follow-up to Pink?
Apart from the courtroom drama, I don't think anything else was similar. I think Pink was very vulnerable. Mulk wasn't.

Did you similarly go as deep into Mulk?
Mulk was more like an inner voice wanting to use my medium's power as an actor to say what I wanted to say. I was the first actor to read the script in Anubhav [Sinha] sir's office. I told him right there that I was on. That last summation dialogue was something I started preparing for in my head from the day I read the script. I was waiting to do that two-pager...

Single take?
Yeah. There were five cameras running together. We had 100-120 junior artistes, given the last day of courtroom sequence. I said, "Just keep [cameras] running, come what may. Call cut, only if there's something drastically going wrong. Otherwise don't." We rolled. A new actor on set started coughing. She didn't know how sync sound works. Or that she could just go out. I finished the whole sequence. Everybody stood up and clapped. It was a surreal moment. A junior artiste handed me a signed note saying "You'll be the number one actress of Bollywood very soon", and left.

What about the cough sound?
Then Anubhav sir walks towards me with the sound designer, and I was like, "I just want to go die, right now. Don't know if I can do this again!" That new actor was in tears. I can't even get angry at her, because poor girl, it's not her fault. I did that shot again. But eventually, Anubhav sir cleaned up [sound], kept the first take!

Was Badla a lot less stressful?
Yeah, I could just 'act', because she [the character] was 'acting' there as Naina Sethi. And I easily knew what I should do to make it look real.

Stupid question, fair warning. If I recall right, there's a scene in Badla, where your co-actor, surprised by some answer of yours, says, "If this is true, then I'm Amitabh Bachchan!" Now if Bachchan already exists in the fictional space the film is in, then you would know it's him when he walks through the door, no?
Nahin! That Amitabh Bachchan is not the Amitabh Bachchan in the head of the person saying that line! It was Manav's [Kaul] impromptu addition to the dialogue; not how it was written. Sujoy [Ghosh] found it very funny. I was, like, whatever, if you guys are fine.

You've called your character in Manmarziyaan the closest to you as a person. Did that make it easier for you to play?
The part that was hard to play was the fact that she goes back to the boyfriend, after getting married. I am not that confused in life. I'm very black and white, with everything. And Rumi is always grey. It was very difficult for me [to get audiences] to root for this character, who is not loyal to the husband. I took it up as a challenge, doing it innocently, but with much conviction. I'm hopelessly loyal as a person.



[Die-hard] romantic type?
I might have dated a lot of people, but I've been 100 per cent there. And if it doesn't work [out], and I feel like going with someone else, I will cut this off completely. And then go. So that overlap didn't make sense to me. What the writer Kanika [Dhillon] told me is that [if it wasn't for that conflict/scene], then it's a cakewalk [for the character]. And I agreed.

I liked that Abhishek Bachchan's Robbie, while being the corporate bore — compared to the happening Vicky (Vicky Kaushal) — wasn't shown to be a complete doofus, given how 'suits' are often stereotyped in popular films. Which of the two would you have picked in real life?
As Taapsee, I would have chosen Robbie any day. I am not comfortable with people who don't really know where their head, hand, and feet are. Vicky was that confused. He just never had a spine. Only had heart.

He'd be more fun to be with.
Yeah, but fun means I can be friends with them. Robbie had a sense of humour at times. And he had this whole thing of, "I am yours; will be yours"—that maturity level to handle someone like Rumi. Robbie was very close to the kind of man I'd want to be with.

You are also an entrepreneur, running a wedding-planning company, invested in a badminton team, which you don't talk about. How do you handle them on a day-to-day basis? [Mohar Basu]
Let me clear this misconception. It is not that I don't talk about it. It's people who don't want to acknowledge and glorify the fact that an actress from a middle-class background is doing this simultaneously. And not because she doesn't believe in her future as an actress. But because she just wants to. Only business magazines end up mentioning it a little bit here and there.

Have you seen the show Made In Heaven; does wedding-planning business really work like that?
[Laughs] The chaos behind organising a wedding and making it look like the way it does is the same. But as far as I know, my company doesn't delve into the personal life of the bride and groom, get them together, or separated... As for day-to-day management, I don't; my sister does. I only go for key meetings. And I'm part of marketing ideas on how to grow the business. With badminton, the tournament and auction happen once a year. I have a proper office working for the rest of the months.

Apparently your team hits bad luck, whenever you're in the stands?
[Laughs] That was happening! And I was sitting in the toilet in the same seat throughout, because we were winning! Trust me it was very difficult to get investors on board for this. I gave some 20-30 odd presentations, and I finally got one investor out of them. It is not easy, just because I'm an actor. But it's helped me grow as a person. I make time for it.

What's the craziest thing a fan has done for you? [Karishma Kakar]
There was this one guy, after my first Telugu film, who just felt like giving me his first salute, before he joined his IPS [police] training. And he did. I don't know why. That was quite crazy.



You've simultaneously worked in Tamil, Telugu [which are also distinct industries], and Hindi films. How different is the kind of reception you get from each?
Very different. In this I can generalise between Tamil and Telugu, to contrast it with Hindi audiences. They [in the South] are very passionate movie fans. Even if you're one or two-film old, and your film has worked, they might not be your diehard fans, but because they are movie fans, they will be crazy about you. Passion for films is that high.

For film stars, no?
You've come in a film; you're a star for them. It's a ritual for them to watch a film every weekend. And they'll give you a chance. It's not like in Hindi, where we get tired telling the public, "Meri picture aa rahi hai, please trailer dekh lo!" Here, only when the word-of-mouth spreads that you take time off your busy schedule, and give the film a chance.

Do you think Hindi audiences have become jaded?
Honestly, don't know the reason.

Do you feel more like a 'star' in Hyderabad/Chennai?
Yeah, you're larger than life, when you are a star, in the South. Here, everybody and anybody who is sitting on a set is a star!

Interesting. Which one would you prefer to be?
I should not complain either way. Because I am getting to live both worlds. If I want to feel like a queen, I can go down South. Or I can just do one Hindi film, and they make me see the reality — that you are nowhere, and you are here only [laughs].

Bollywood makes you feel that? You've spoken about how you still feel like the outsider.
I don't see that as a negative feeling. It is my big USP, or weapon of sorts. My point of view of a lot of characters probably looks real, because I've lived it, and I'm really happy for that. And to an extent I have kept myself away from the social circle of the industry. My day ends at 10 pm, begins at 6.30-7 am...

You sound like Akshay Kumar to me; you also do about four films a year!
I wish. Even if I would've achieved half of what he has, I'll retire. Also, I really don't want those conversations of films and the film industry seeping into my real life.

You've spoken about how you've been kicked out of films, because you weren't recommended by people from certain families.
Yes, and it still happens. And it is a rule of the game, and I accepted it long back.

But it pisses you off, right?
Of course, you feel really angry, and you vent it out. I do it in front of my sister. My sister always has the same answer —that I always knew about it. It happens in every industry.

You publicly sarcastically cribbed about it, when you were left out of Filmfare popular award nominations, despite having three big releases the same year.
Actually two years back, it affected me the most, when Pink happened, because I was snubbed then as well. [Filmmaker] Shoojit Sircar told me, "Apne kapde silwa le, iss saal bade award milenge tujhko!" People were just crying while interviewing me, because of the role that had touched them so deeply.

Which is true, yes.
After all that, you are not even nominated in a lot of awards, and totally snubbed that year. That broke my heart. I thought I'll do something. I'll give such films every year that people will start asking you [the organisers], "Why are you snubbing her?" I was snubbed last year as well. But, this year, things changed. Because it became so evidently shameless that people started questioning. Now they can't turn back and say, she's bitter, cribbing, or crying. I am not saying anything. My audience is.

You also speak about how you get far more recognition from the public than peers in the film industry.
Yes. But, since when did peer validation become the true hallmark? I am fine with being the underdog. I am still not in the so-called list of "5 actresses to be rated in the order of their performances!" But I am still the same actress whose films are the highest rated in the year. Let the validation come in from the public. None of these peers whose validation we expect are paying for the movie ticket. So it doesn't matter.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 18, 2019)

Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar will be seen as India’s oldest sharp shooters in the upcoming movie Saand Ki Aankh, which is based on the lives of Chandro Tomar and Prakashi Tomar. The two actresses are teaming up for the first time on screen. And Taapsee is all praises for her co-star.

“A lot of actors are good, and there are some who are intelligent, Bhumi is an intelligent actor. She preps for the part and actually does her homework. She has a notebook in which she writes her notes for various scenes. I, on the other hand, am spontaneous. When I used to see her prep, I would feel like such a useless actor. Plus, she knows how to use her surroundings, and the props around. Not many actors do it, but Bhumi is intelligent and does that,” says Taapsee appreciatively.

Besides spending a few weeks learning to shoot, the Game Over actress had the challenge of looking like a 60-year-old. “Three hours would be spent on the face everyday (to transform) and another hour in removing the make-up. And, before we started filming, we had worked on the body language, dialect, etc,” she says. However, to get the posture and walk of an old woman right, the 31-year-old observed the ladies in the village they were shooting. “My mother is 60, but her walk is neither weird nor does she limp. But women in the village do things differently than those in the city. Their chores are different, so I had to observe the way they stand, and the manner in which they walk based on the work they do,” reveals the Mulk star.

Besides that, the svelte beauty interacted with the two women on a daily basis. “We were shooting right next to their house in the village. Now, they are pretty old, the elder one is 88 and the younger one is 84. They don’t understand what this film is going to do, but they are happy that people are celebrating their achievement.

Taapsee says, “Chandro and Prakashi Tomar are glad to see so many people around, feasting and treating them with good food. They haven’t wrapped their head around what will happen.”

On a lighter note, the actress reveals that considering that the two women have many children in real life, in the movie, too, she had to be pregnant several times!  “I was roaming around pregnant on the sets multiple times, especially because the transition from young to old is shown in the first 10 minutes. Since they are so many, I don’t even remember their (kids) names, though I met them and was shooting in the village for 50 days,” she grins.

Ever since the actress did Naam Shabana, she has been sought-after for strong woman-oriented roles not only in Bollywood, but also in the South. Recently, her Telugu-Tamil bilingual, Game Over was dubbed in Hindi and released at the same time. “I will always do one South film every year. The good thing is that the makers are flexible with the dates. Initially, they used to come with a film starring a big star two months prior to the shoot and tell me 'Hero ki date yeh hai, now you give us your time' but I block my dates six months in advance for Hindi films. However, since I am the protagonist in most of my South movies now, they adjust on the basis of my availability,” she informs proudly.

Ask her, which industry she is getting more substantial roles in, and she confesses it’s in Hindi. “The kind of scripts that come to me from both the industries are at par with each other, but the number of films I get are more in Hindi,” signs off the actress, who will start shooting for Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad, next.

Game Over shows promise and certain scenes are quite arresting. The principle plot, dealing with video games with a dash of thrill, is quite interesting. Sadly, the makers add too many subplots. The first half touches upon so many aspects that the impact is just not made. The second half is like a different film and here, the narrative gets engrossing and nail-biting. But again, certain questions are left unanswered. And the attempt to pass off a Southern town as Gurugram is lame and the makers ideally should have shot this film in Hindi as well since Taapsee Pannu is a known name in Bollywood. She acts quite well and is apt for such kind of a role. The vulnerability, the struggles and of course, the redemption bits are portrayed nicely by her. Vinodhini Vaidyanathan is decent. Ramya Subramanian has a fine screen presence and Sanchana Natarajan is lovely but her track would have made a better impact in some other film. All in all, Game Over is strictly an okay fare and even a loss of a golden opportunity.

My rating - ** ½ out of 5!

BHARAT IS GOOD BUT FALLS; HOLLYWOOD RELEASE MIGHT PROVIDE SOME RESPITE

The Salman Khan starrer Bharat released on Eid last week and embarked on a great start. The film was huge on Wednesday, the day it hit screens. There was a drop on Thursday and Friday but it wasn’t alarming. Saturday was quite good while on Sunday, it did fine despite the India vs Australia match. There were signs that the film hasn’t found universal appreciation but it isn’t bad as Salman’s last 2 Eid releases, Tubelight and Race 3. There were hopes that from Monday onwards, when all holiday effect will wear off, the film will hold but sadly it didn’t happen. Monday had a fall in collections and on Tuesday, there was another drop. The first week collections are expected to be in the range of Rs. 173-174 crore.

It has been noticed since last year that family films usually drop in the weekdays but then pick up drastically in the weekends. Trade expects Bharat’s collections to be quite huge on second Saturday. The collections on second Sunday ideally should have been great but it won’t happen. After all, it’s the day when the crucial India vs Pakistan match will take place. It’s like the most important match of the year and footfalls of all films will hence be affected, including that of Bharat. Hence, the lifetime of the film will be around Rs. 225-230 crore. Certainly, a lot more was expected from this flick.

With Bharat underperforming, the new releases might get some little more screens than expected. A couple of Hollywood and Bollywood films will release tomorrow. The biggest of them all is Men In Black: International. It is a part of the popular Men In Black franchise and it has worked a bit in India. The fourth part has Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson in leading roles and the former has become a bit of a known face thanks to his portrayal of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Hindi version has been voiced by Gully Boy actor Siddhant Chaturvedi along with Sanya Malhotra. The film has been extensively promoted and it remains to be seen if it can really attract audiences. The opening can be anywhere between Rs. 3 to 5 crore. There will be competition between Men In Black: International and Bharat as to which film will collect more tomorrow.

The other releases of the film – Hollywood as well as Bollywood – are as follows:

1. THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2: It is the sequel of The Secret Life Of Pets which was a huge hit in Hollywood but not much in India. Also, this sequel released last week in the US and has got mixed reviews. The opening will be around Rs. 1 crore or even lesser.

2. GAME OVER: This is a Tamil and Telugu thriller and it’s also releasing in Hindi in dubbed version. It stars Taapsee Pannu in the lead role and looks quite interesting and well-made. The buzz sadly is quite less. The Hindi version would open at around Rs. 60-70 lakhs and if response is positive, the collections can even double on Saturday. Also, the weekday collections can be more than Friday but for that, the film has to be really worth it.

3. KHAMOSHI: This is a remake of the 2016 American film Hush and looks quite intriguing. It is simultaneously shot in Hindi with Tamannaah Bhatia (and Prabhudheva) and in Tamil with Nayanthara. The Tamil version is called Kolaiyuthir Kaalam. Talking of the Hindi version, the buzz and awareness both are negligible. The opening can be very bad and will be around Rs. 40-50 lakhs.

4. KISSEBAAZ: This looks like a rooted crime drama and stars Pankaj Tripathi, Anupriya Goenka, Rahul Bagga and Mouli Ganguly, Zakir Hussain and Rajesh Sharma. Sadly, the trailer focuses more on the character actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Zakir Hussain and Rajesh Sharma and they aren’t big enough to pull audiences to cinemas. There’s an item song as well, called Babli, featuring Evelyn Sharma, but it hasn’t generated excitement. The opening will be in the same range as Khamoshi, maybe even less, and it’ll only work in the single screens.

The final Hindi film of the week is Rescue but it seems pathetic and has no chance at all.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 11, 2019)

Taapsee Pannu has become the go-to actress for women-centric films or those with strong, feisty roles. Whether it was Pink (2016), Naam Shabana (2017) or Mulk (2018), she has stood out, thanks to her acting chops. Her last release Manmarziyaan was an intense love triangle with her at the centre of it. And now, the fiery performer will be seen in the Tamil-Telugu bilingual Game Over, which is being dubbed in Hindi and opening in cinemas on the same day. The 31-year-old considers it as a huge honour. “It usually happens for big South stars and even then, their films don’t release on the same date. The movies are dubbed and aired on TV later,” she tells us. This just goes to show the long strides the talented star has taken, becoming a name to reckon with in Bollywood as well as the South. In a candid chat, she tells us more about the upcoming thriller and her other projects.

It must be a big deal for you as your South film is being dubbed and hitting the marquee in Hindi..
Yes, it’s a huge pressure now. Even the way the poster is done — Taapsee in Game Over — is a very South thing to do. In Hindi, we don’t do that even for a Salman Khan film. But down South, the love for their stars is huge. The first time I saw the poster, I felt I have come a long way. It was overwhelming, it has been quite a bit of a journey and I have reached somewhere credible.

Can you take us through your journey?
Initially, I didn’t know anything about acting, I didn’t want to be an actor. I took it up as an experiment and my debut films in Telugu (Jhummandi Naadam, 2010) and Tamil (Aadukalam, 2011) got a thunderous response. That’s when I decided this is my destiny. But then I made mistakes by choosing the kind of movies that didn’t make sense to me as I didn’t have a sense of cinema. I listened to people telling me this is what actresses do and realised it’s not working for me. There were back-to-back flops and I was considered bad luck. I was blamed for the fate of even those films in which I had only three songs and five scenes. So, I thought if that’s the case, I might as well choose the projects that I want to do.

I thought if that’s the case, I might as well choose the projects that I want to do. So, from five-six movies a year in both Telugu and Tamil, I reduced it to one. People said this was the end of my career, but I was the one turning down offers. I moved to Bollywood with Chashme Baddoor (2013) and patiently waited for the best roles because I didn’t want to repeat the mistakes I made in the South by choosing only fancy films. Once that started working, the perception in the South changed and they started to give me the kind of roles I wanted to. Today, I am striking a balance between Hindi and regional cinema.

What kind of prep did you have to do for Game Over?
Most of the prep was during the reading sessions. This is not a regular fiery character people know me for. In fact, it’s the total opposite. She has gone through a trauma and every year, when that date approaches, it affects her. Her mind and body start reacting weirdly, due to which she meets with an accident and she ends up in a wheelchair. As an actor, it was mentally draining. I used to play Ludo in between shots, and hang out with friends during my off days. I didn’t want to stay alone. I used to watch a lot of comedies to lighten my mood because the experience was traumatic.

Do you get affected by the roles you play?
Yes, the role stays with me even after the film is over. It takes away something from me, which I don’t realise. It also changes me as a person. If you see my filmography, most of the characters I have played are intense. I get affected every time I do a movie and end up dressing up like that. After Manmarziyaan, I used to wear a lot of indie dresses and after Judwaa 2, I would dress in a hot chic way (laughs). I make it a point to take a week off on a holiday and disconnect from work after I finish a film’s shoot.

Do filmmakers come to you with strong roles or do you choose only those kind of parts?
It’s a mix of both. The makers of Game Over approached me, but I pursued the makers of Saand Ki Aankh. When I spot that there is a good film/script around, I go for it, I have no shame. For instance, I wanted Anubhav (Sinha) sir to write on this subject (the dynamics of the husband-wife relationship) and since the promotions of Mulk, we knew we are going to work together again in Thappad. The supernatural thriller I’m doing with Anurag (Kashyap) came my way. We had discussed it during Manmarziyaan.

Your upcoming films, Saand Ki Aankh, Thappad and the supernatural thriller, have you as the protagonist. Don’t you want to do a masala flick like Judwaa 2 again?
Yes, I want to. There are preconceived notions that I will not do a smaller part. But it’s nothing like that. It’s just that it shouldn’t be so insignificant that if you take me out of the movie, nothing changes in it. I really hope such a film comes my way. I want to lighten up my filmography, be a little relaxed on the set and not always be so intense. I will wait for such a role. I am not averse to it.

Although not disgruntled, Taapsee says she shines despite lack of support from industry friends in promoting her films on social media
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 4, 2019)

In an industry that heavily depends on promotional work to make a pitch for its films, Bollywood folk are increasingly turning to their peers to make some noise for their offerings, on social media. In this scenario — which could be touted as a litmus test of friendships in Bollywood — Taapsee Pannu finds herself rather isolated. “I am used to managing without much support,” she says, acknowledging that few industry friends have gone over and above to promote her upcoming release, the Tamil film, Game Over, on social media. “If you think about it, how many people had promoted my last film, Badla [starring Amitabh Bachchan]?” The lack of support, though, did not affect the film’s success — it enjoyed a rather unprecedented and extended run of over 50 days in cinema halls.

But Pannu admits that not finding herself among this close-knit circuit in Bollywood, makes her feel like an outsider. “I don’t feel like an insider, but don’t aspire to be one either. When the Hindi trailer of Game Over was launched, I was surprised by the welcoming comments on YouTube. I felt assured that the audience is watching me. The warmth I’ve received for being patient and charting a new path, is overwhelming. I don’t need the industry’s tweets or attention. I will make my presence felt strongly.”

Having won acclaim for her act in Pink (2016), Pannu pinned her hopes on industry friends to give her an added push. “But I realised that I am on my own. This underdog trait is my biggest [strength]. having said that, I have support in friends like Varun [Dhawan], who will always cheer me on. His mother is my loyal follower. I share a personal equation with them.”

Game over — a trilingual whose Hindi version is being backed by Anurag Kashyap — is a home- invasion thriller, and the only other female-led Tamil film to enjoy a multi-lingual release, after Sridevi-starrer Mom (2017). Having enjoyed a fair amount of success as an actor in the South Indian film industry before her Bollywood debut, Pannu doesn’t underplay the importance of regional cinema. Good content, she says, is blurring regional divides. “In the South, people talk to me about Manmarziyaan [2018]. In Mumbai, I gain attention due to Kanchana. Today, it’s important to be an actor with a pan-India appeal,” she says, quick to add that with friend Kashyap looking over dubbing duties of Game Over across all three languages, she is certain that this film too will reach a wide audience, across India.

Playing nyctophobic in next, Taapsee Pannu seeks the help of Pondicherry-based NGO associate to understand nuances of her character
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 27, 2019)

Besides her Tamil outing Kanchana 2 (2015), Taapsee Pannu has rarely found the opportunity to explore the supernatural thriller genre. While her next, Game Over, allows her to dive deep into the genre, she says that doing justice to her character - who suffers from anxiety and nyctophobia (fear of darkness) - did not come easy.

"The entire gamut of emotions - post traumatic stress, anniversary effect and the low self-confidence that a person experiences after a trauma - was new to me," begins Pannu, who plays a wheelchair-bound woman whose home has been broken into, in the Anurag Kashyap-presented thriller. To understand the psyche of the protagonist, the actor turned to the film's co-writer Kavya Ramkumar (right), whose family works with a Pondicherry-based NGO that helps people suffering from post-trauma stress disorders.

"Since I haven't experienced these emotions, they wouldn't come to me naturally. So I sought Kavya's help to understand the possible logic behind these reactions, and how to use them naturally in my performance."

Before they kicked off the multi-lingual's shoot last October, the actor familiarised herself with the subject by reading extensively on it. She also gained insights from Ramkumar, who shared various accounts of people suffering from the condition. "It's insensitive to meet survivors for research. So, Kavya became the means for me to understand their psyche. I also watched documentaries including A Cure For Fear and Nyctophobia [2018]."

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 26, 2018)

Taapsee Pannu, whose last screen turn was in Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan alongside Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal, will next be seen in a Tamil-Telugu bilingual titled Game Over. It has been directed by Ashwin Saravanan who had earlier directed the 2015 Tamil neo-noir horror Maya, its leading lady Nayanthara’s 50th film.

Taapsee who will wrap up work on the film in a few days describes the film as a “quirky thriller” with her as a video game programmer who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. “After that life throws an even bigger challenge at her and the film is about how she gets past it. This one is one of the toughest roles I have played , if not the most,” says the 31-year-old actress, admitting that shooting on a wheelchair for hours at stretch isn’t easy.

Elaborating on her prep she adds, “You feel so caged. And since the process of getting in and out of the leg cast was a long one, I decided to keep it on even during the breaks. Also, the film being a thriller requires me to move around in the wheelchair a lot and you gain control over it only after you spend time on it. But, I have to say, this meant long and arduous days of shoot.”

Meanwhile the actress has finished Sujoy Ghosh’s revenge-drama Badla and started Jagan Shakti’s Mission Mangal, the story of India’s Mars Mission, from Friday. She plays Kritika Agarwal from the navigation and communication department.