Showing posts with label Taapsee Pannu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taapsee Pannu. Show all posts
I took some therapy sessions to learn the art of dealing with myself without running away-Taapsee Pannu
9:51 AM
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 10, 2026)
On World Mental Health Day actor Taapsee Pannu admits, “Like many of us in India, I used to think mental health support is required when you go crazy but slowly grew up to understand it’s got dimensions more than that. I thought one approaches a therapist when touching clinical depression stage or when one cannot express what one is feeling but I realized mental health is also about being in the present and finding peace in what you have. If you aren’t at peace, you constantly feel unstable and that’s what showbiz can make you feel.”
She goes on to say that Covid changed a lot of things for her because it put her physical activity at rest. She says, “Earlier, I would channel my mental anxiety and anxiousness into physical activity by engaging into more work or go outside and engage in some activity or sport to avoid facing my anxiety or be by myself. I would tell myself I’m overthinking and would rush to focus on my job. During Covid, like everyone else, I was forced to spend time with myself and realized I need to take care of my mental health better.”
Taapsee points out that being a part of showbiz dealing with trolling and personal attacks is not easy. “I’m not going to romanticize it with fancy lines about knowing your self worth. No matter how strong you are when your job and standing is largely dependent on everyone else's perception of you, what they say and feel about you, it’s never easy. It was way more harsh in the beginning for me, not just in terms of career but also when I got on social media.”
She adds people’s two seconds of attention can cause actors a lot of mental health damage. “I was trying this impossible task to make everyone happy. I got burnt out and it took me years to accept the situation. I realized I wasted years trying to appease trolls rather than spending that time working on myself as an actor or human being. I sacrificed a lot of time and brain cells to understand this but sometimes trolling still affects me,” says Taapsee. She adds that media portals that tear actors down also affects their state of mind.
She agrees that social media has made actors more vulnerable to anxiety and comparison. She explains, “Exploitation of celebs is now more available to make a joke about but it affects everyone. We even have trolls questioning why does this actor get opportunities, existential questions are discussed by people who I’m not sure are qualified to question someone’s profession. It has made actors vulnerable and the repercussion is that actors stopped using social media to display their true selves. They have started displaying the persona that people like more and sells more. You aren’t connecting with a human being but a brand.”
She goes on to reveal why she decided to be inactive on social media. “I disconnected with social media after a point because I couldn’t be dishonest about the person I am. I had the choice of being inactive on social media or being battered mentally so I chose the first option,” says the actor.
She also admits that she has taken therapy and is glad it isn’t taboo anymore. “The characters I play are mentally exhausting so I would travel somewhere where I could disconnect and forget about my work life. When Covid happened, I didn’t have that privilege and had to face my demons. I became more vulnerable and sensitive that's when I took some therapy sessions to learn the art of dealing with myself without running away,” says Taapsee.
Taapsee Pannu-Kangana Ranaut’s feud over ‘upbringing’ remark; Kangana revives her ‘sasti copy’ jibe
11:04 AM
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 24, 2026)
The long-standing public feud between actors Taapsee Pannu and Kangana Ranaut has taken another ugly turn, with Kangana once again calling Taapsee a ‘sasti copy’ after the latter’s remarks about differences in their upbringing in a recent interview.
Taapsee has now responded to Kangana’s interpretation of her remarks. Speaking to us, she says, “One needs proper education and upbringing to understand what I said,” before explaining why she doesn’t take offence at being called a ‘sasti copy’.
“I’ve always maintained I don’t get offended by these sasti copy remarks. I’m happy she thinks I’m a copy; she’s a phenomenal actress. I don’t come from a rich background or the highest-paid actor tags; maybe I’m sasti that way. I said how one speaks is reflective of one’s upbringing. If you believe I am being demeaning to your upbringing, it means you believe you made demeaning comments. I did not say that.”
In a recent interview with India Today, Taapsee was asked whether she and Kangana had made amends. She said, “My opinion on her is reflective of my upbringing and my way of talking, my way of perceiving things and hers. She stands by hers. So, I think that’s enough for everybody to look at and decide who comes from where.”
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Taapsee, 39, and Kangana, 40, first became embroiled in a controversy in 2019 after Kangana’s sister, Rangoli Chandel, accused Taapsee of copying Kangana and called her a “sasti copy”. The remarks came after Taapsee praised the trailer of Judgementall Hai Kya (2019) without specifically mentioning Kangana.
The feud resurfaced in 2020 when Kangana referred to Taapsee and other actors as “B-grade actresses” and “needy outsiders” amid debates over nepotism and industry politics. Taapsee later joked in an interview that she doesn’t hold a “patent on curly hair” and took the comparison as a compliment.
Despite their differences, Taapsee has previously maintained that she remains open to being friends with Kangana.
Their exchanges have also occasionally taken a more cordial turn. When Taapsee won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for Thappad in 2021, she thanked Kangana in her acceptance speech for raising the bar for female actors. Kangana reciprocated on social media, writing that “no one deserves it more than you”. However, the two continued to trade passive-aggressive barbs in the media in the years that followed.
Around the same time, when global celebrities tweeted about India’s farmer protests, Taapsee tweeted that citizens shouldn’t let outside opinions shake their core value systems. Kangana retaliated on Twitter, calling Taapsee “B-grade log” and freeloaders.
In her response to Taapsee on her now-deleted Insta Stories, Kangana had said, “She is not the only one, many people who grew up in shady cramped up outskirts of cities in dingy rented apartments with questionable backgrounds and incomes question my upbringing and malign my parents, who hail from a renowned Rajput zameendar Family and raised by educated distinguished parents (sic).”
Authenticity shouldn’t be sacrificed for algorithms-Taapsee Pannu
8:54 AM
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 6, 2026)
After nearly a year of digital detox, Taapsee Pannu is back online. The actor, who recently asked followers what kind of content they would like to see from her, says the return was prompted partly by industry realities, including being told that some brands prefer celebrities who are more active and visible on social media.
“The detox was because of multiple reasons. It felt like you are always in the race of starting trends or participating in trends. It was exhausting. I wanted to live my life and not constantly check social media,” Pannu tells us.
To break the habit, she deleted social media apps from her phone and accessed them only through her iPad. “Actors are also told not to expose themselves too much. Otherwise, why would people come to theatres to watch you? That logic made sense to me,” she says.
But reduced visibility came at a cost. “I was told brands want people who are visible. I was also told, ‘You don’t post so much, so this brand won’t associate with you. That brand prefers someone who is hyperactive on social media. You should be like this particular person’.”
Pannu, however, questions the logic. “If a brand is coming to me, they are coming for me as a person. If I have to be like someone else, what’s the point?”
While acknowledging the role social media plays in the entertainment business, Taapsee Pannu says she does not want to chase engagement at the cost of authenticity. “Authenticity should not be sacrificed for algorithms,” she says.
The actor is currently spending three months in Denmark with husband, Danish former badminton player Mathias Boe and family after wrapping her work commitments in India: “Not many films are shot during summers because of the weather conditions. Summertime is perfect in Denmark, so I wrapped my shoots and came here.”
The break, she adds, offers a welcome contrast to her Mumbai life: “I do everything myself, from cooking and gardening to maintaining my fitness routine and cycling to buy bread. It helps me stay real and normal.”
Pannu also reveals that she has always handled her social media accounts without professional help, which is why she was unsure what followers expected from her online presence. “I don’t have the bandwidth to click 50 photos and choose one to post. I’m not someone who will spend on hiring a social media team. I’ve always done it myself,” she says, adding, “If I want to increase engagement, all I have to do is post pictures from glam shoots. It’s the easiest shortcut. But I already do glam shoots for editorial content, brands and films. I want that uniqueness to stay.”
It’s actually important to have that little bit of fat and water retention under the belly-Taapsee Pannu
9:07 AM
The actor recalls ‘torturing’ herself for what she thought was the ideal body
HINDUSTAN TIMES (June 2, 2026)
On Sunday, actor Taapsee Pannu spoke out against the unrealistic pursuit of a flat belly by some women, urging them to avoid subjecting themselves to extreme measures.
The 38-year-old, last seen in Assi, shared a series of videos on Instagram Stories, opening up about her own experience and past obsession with achieving a flat midriff.
“While growing up, I was extremely fit, but I never understood why the lower belly fat always stayed. I worked out intensely almost to an extent that I overpushed myself... and when you overpush yourself, it rings an alarm in your brain that your body needs protection. So instead of actually losing water retention, the body starts retaining it, and then that lower belly fat stays,” she shared.
Taapsee went on to explain that a flat midriff isn’t something one can, or expect to, maintain at all times because a woman’s body goes through several hormonal changes.
She continued, “I accepted it very late after really torturing myself... My nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal explained to me how it’s actually important to have that little bit of fat and water retention under the belly because that’s where your reproductive organs are, and they need protection, and by virtue of being a woman, you need that protection.”
She advised: “Just to get those perfect Instagram pictures, please don’t torture yourself.”
The fact that you said Assi and Dhurandhar in the same breath is good enough-Anubhav Sinha
3:01 PM
As Assi drops online, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha gets candid about its box office reception, making unpopular choices, and why he believes films like The Kerala Story and The Kashmir Files have a right to exist
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; May 3, 2026)
Stationed at a city hotel, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha is busy recording long media interactions about his latest film, Assi. If one didn’t know better, the director’s enthusiasm would give the impression the film is about to release. But the Taapsee Pannu-starrer released two months ago, and began its streaming run last week. For Sinha, though, it feels like a re-release.
“The film dropped on Zee5 on Thursday night (April 17). Friday was a little quiet. So, I thought maybe OTT release is like this. But, Friday night onwards, it became viral — whether it was Instagram Reels or Whatsapps or DMs from filmmakers, friends, bichhde hue dost Mathura aur Jaipur se. So, for me, it’s feeling like a re-release,” he smiles.
Still, two months is a long time for a maker to observe the reactions that a film received during its theatrical run, agrees Sinha. “Largely, things that are said about the film are in appreciation. There are a slim percentage of people who find Kumud’s [Mishra] character, Kartik, to be an outsider to the story. But that’s all that I have heard as a critique. The other observation is that the film is very disturbing, which it was intended to be,” he says.
It feels the right time to register a feedback that one felt while watching the movie that works both as an investigation and an introspection centred around the rape of a school teacher (played by Kani Kusruti) in the capital. The feminist intent notwithstanding, the execution in parts feel preachy, we share with Sinha. The director replies, “I respect this observation and if I looked at the film from that viewpoint and it’s not absolutely unfounded.”
Sinha, consistently, has been among the voices in the industry who remain open to dialogue and dissent. So, we ask him how he views Pannu’s widely-discussed Instagram post, before Assi’s release, where she appealed to the audience to be louder in their support for films that aren’t cut from the cloth of mainstream. “You deserve good cinema only when you value it,” reads a sentence from her post. Doesn’t it put an unfair amount of responsibility on the audience, which is an outsider to the rooms that decide what gets made in the industry?
“The responsibility of the audience is directly proportional to the expectation of the audience. So, Tapsee is probably coming from a place where she very regularly hears that good cinema is not made. Even though, I don’t agree much with this because how do I assume my cinema is good? People will decide that. But Tapsee was probably trying to talk about real cinema, real stories. So, if the audience has expectations and demands from cinema, then it becomes your responsibility as well [to support it] because making such films is an unpopular choice. People have no idea what it takes to get these films off the ground,” he says.
But another argument arises that the audience merely reacts to the visual assets of a film or to a star, if it’s a star-fronted feature. If a filmmaker fails to ignite excitement among the viewers, the onus shouldn’t fall on them to still pay to watch a film, howsoever well-intentioned it is. Sinha agrees that the responsibility lies more on the industry to churn out diverse stories on a regular basis, even if it fails at times, in an attempt to reach out to the audience and eventually condition it to give a chance to “unpopular films”.
How does one restore the balance that an Assi and Lapataa Ladies can co-exist with a Dhurandhar and a Pathaan [2023]? “Yes, the balance has become very lopsided. But the fact that you said Assi and Dhurandhar in the same breath is good enough. Around 13 lakh people went to see Assi in the theatres. If I draw an analogy, 40–50 thousand people sit in a stadium to watch a match. Now, three crore people went to Dhurandhar, but its stakes and ambition were different. Assi’s ambition was not that three crore people should go to see me,” he argues.
But Sinha is a producer as well and the commercial ambition of Assi will have a number attached to it. “It should have done much better than what it did for it to fall into that [success] category. But that’s one of the later metrics that I look at. In the real world, it seems that the math of a film is very urgent. But it takes a backseat, not only for the filmmaker but for the whole team, including the stars and the studio. Years later, it doesn’t matter how much money did Satya [1998], Chandni [1989] or Lamhe [1991] make. On an urgent basis, Lamhe was a flop. But today, it is a hit.”
What remain urgent are Sinha’s stories. So, we mention our recent conversation with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who said that stories on screen are being weaponised to push people away from each other.
“As an audience, you can choose one story over the other but all of them have the right to exist. The Kerala Story [2023] has a right to exist, and so does The Kashmir Files [2022],” Sinha says.
So, where does an artiste’s responsibility lie? “Artistes will make their own choices and then history will place them on shelves. It’s not my job to place another artiste on a shelf or myself on another shelf. We are making films, and today there is a knee-jerk response. Twenty years later, when a smart girl writes a massive article about what happened in this era in India, we will all be judged much later. If you are fortunate, you will be judged, otherwise you will most likely be ignored by history.”
Why does audience care about the opening of a film?-Bhumi Pednekar
9:34 AM
Actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar urges support for small films beyond box office numbers
Sonal Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 14, 2026)
Actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar’s clarity of thought is refreshing in a world of rehearsed answers by celebrities. In the latest episode of The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra, she talks about her journey, troll culture and urges fans to support low budget films.
With audiences turning up to theatres only for big films, how can small stories win them back?
Small and medium-sized films are dwindling. Friday ko collections aane shuru ho jaate hain aur ek judgement de diya jata hai ki iss film ki opening nahin lagi. Agar nahin lagi toh kya it’s not a film that’s worthy of being given a shot?... I have people around me saying ‘haan lekin iski opening nahin lagi hai na’. I’m like why do you all care? This is not for you. This is for the business and industry people. Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) had opened at Rs. 1 crore! Agar tab yeh systems hote toh na mera, na Ayushmann Khurrana, na Rajkummar Rao, na Taapsee Pannu, kisi ke career nahi hote. I really feel bad. These are the films that actually change the society. Har cheez number ho gayi hai ab. We need to encourage small and medium sized films and that will only happen if we stop labelling them.
What’s that one thing you would look for in a role? What’s a prerequisite?
I don’t want to do any character that doesn’t have agency. In my last two pieces of work, The Royals and Daldal, both my characters had agency. I will never play a girl who conforms to all the stereotypes or all the conditioning that every other woman is trying to fight. I don’t have a problem playing a grey character or villain. If I am part of a magnum opus, and there are four scenes, but those scenes where I get to show something that I’ve never done, I will do it. It is not about the size of the role; it is about the impact.
Bhumi khud ye meaningful kahaaniyaan, cause-driven kahaaniyan dhund leti hai, ya ye kahaniyan Bhumi ko dhund leti hain?
This is just a part of me. My art has a lot of advocacy, and I as a person do, too. I am lucky that my first film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) taught me that cinema has a lot of power if you know how to use it well. Main jis tarah ke parivar mein badi hui hoon wahan pe maine hamesha dekha hai mere mother, father ko bahut community service karte hue. I was always taught ‘nation first, community first’. I think these learnings somehow reflect in my films. I have a lot of activism in me, and a lot of fun was made of it at one point.
What’s one similarity and one difference between the Bhumi of Dum Laga Ke Haisha and the Bhumi in Daldal today?
When I started my career, there was a certain innocence in that Bhumi that isn’t there today. A lot of that also comes with just spending these many years working. Agar kisi bhi profession mein hoti life, aapke experiences ek amount of hardening, and dar har insaan mein paida kar dete hain. The girl in Daldal is more mature. The similarity is that both are fearless. I was fearless then, and I am that now, too.
You’ve gone on record to say that you felt that it was a creative, emotional depletion that happened, which is why you took a break before Daldal. Would you want to elaborate on the break?
I felt it coming last year after shooting Daldal and a film. I couldn’t gather the strength to take that break. We are always told that, as a woman, how can you take a break? The clock is ticking, aur aapko yeh lag raha hai ki oh my God, now you know I am growing older… because this is your conditioning. I was very scared. I wasn’t able to give myself to acting the way I used to, maybe a little earlier. And it’s not like meri mehnat mein ya meri koshish mein koi kami thi. I felt depleted emotionally. I had seen a lot of struggle before I became an actor... I think once you become an actor, your life becomes monotonous in many ways because you are only working. You are going from one film set to another. If as an artiste I have nothing left to take from, ek ghada hota hai experiences ka, jo as an artiste aap apni performance mein daalte hain, wahi deplete ho gaya tha. Ek dum se vanilla ho gayi thi meri life, and I wanted to change that. I was an uninhibited actor, kyunki main kabhi race mein thi hi nahin. Main toh khud ki jagah bana rahi thi aur main race mein kab jud gayi, mujhe pata hi nahin chala. And that started affecting my mental health, everything.
Burnout is a reality, no matter which sector or age. What advice would you have, now that you’ve come back healed?
I have always been a planner. A lot of things that have happened in my life have been magic, and it has been God’s blessings. But I’ve always believed that you need to have a larger vision about what your life is. Even if you don’t have solid goals, there’s a larger vision, right? If you know what the next decade of your life is gonna look like and you feel that you need more skill, you need more time, or you just want to do nothing, that is also okay. You don’t owe anybody an explanation, nobody but yourself.
I think the industry needs to come together to stand up with each other when one sees negativity. It happened with actor Arjun Kapoor. So how do you keep yourself away from it?
I feel that people have forgotten ki by the end of it hum insaan hain. You can’t dehumanize a person you watch on screen. And all I want to say is that it’s easier to say, ‘It does not affect me’. It affects every one of us. How can it not? This is becoming a bit of a sickness.
I feel bad for all of these people who have so much negativity to say because there have been times where I have gone to this wormhole, and I would see it’s a woman who has pictures with her daughters. And I was like, ‘The way you are objectifying other women on social media, what if your daughter were to be objectified like that?’ It’s just not okay.
I would go a step further and say that we need strict laws against this, because this is not trolling; this is bullying. It is only a matter of time before a big incident happens, and then it will get nasty. Like, you know, you literally are telling people that, ‘I hope you die.’ What sort of darkness are you living in? What sort of sickness is here?
OTT platforms only want box office hits-Taapsee Pannu
11:02 AM
Taapsee Pannu, who champions the rights of women onscreen, talks about choosing the right films in an industry that strictly banks on box-office numbers
Sonal Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 28, 2026)
Bold, fearless, bindaas: few in the industry can be summed up like this. Actor Taapsee Pannu embodies these traits both off and on the screen. She talks about what works and how she functions, with her recent film Assi spotlighting the sensitive subject of rape. Excerpts from her chat on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra:
With big-scale films like Dhurandhar, how do you get the conviction to bring an ‘uncomfortable watch’ about rape to theatres?
If people like to watch violence on screen, let’s not demarcate it as ‘this violence is okay, but this violence is not’. We all enjoy big films, but all types of cinema have their own palate.
If one decides to only watch a certain kind of films, our cinema will start looking like a template. Then we as an industry will not be able to produce the kind of variety we are capable of.
There is also a notion people have about a film being okay to watch on OTT, but not in theatres. But the reality is that OTTs also don’t want films that are not big-scale event-based. Their mandates clearly state that they only want films that are box office successes. Soon, there will be a time when movies like Assi will not be released even on OTT platforms.
Does it worry you that the industry prides itself on saying you are only ‘as good as your last hit’?
A decade ago, it was believed that women-led stories didn’t have space in theatres. Then came Vidya Balan and Kangana Ranaut-led films, changing the definition of ‘mainstream’. The industry was flourishing before Covid, when a film like Saand Ki Aankh (2019), in which Bhumi Pednekar and I played 60-year-old daadis, ended up earning Rs. 21 crore. There was that time, too.
Change is the only constant. I am going to be optimistic about the future. My only insecurity as an actor is that if that (mentality) continues, I will have to change the kind of films I take up. I would have to either disassociate totally or change my path and the kind of films and roles I do, which will be slightly painful for me.
When will your fans get to see you in a comedy role like Khel Khel Mein?
I am waiting for a good comedy. I don’t want to be the object of comedy; I want to perform. Mudassar Aziz (director) personally knew me and what kind of comedy I could pull off. People who know me don’t associate me with something so serious (Assi). I am really hoping that after Khel Khel Mein, I find my footing as a bankable actor and find the right script. It takes a while. We don’t have that many comedy films where women can enjoy doing comedy and not be the object of comedy. It’s a rare sighting.
There is a fight between producers and actors: producers say that if an actor leaves a film, they should be compensated; actors feel that they are not compensated when a film is shelved or postponed, or if they are replaced. What is your view?
If both sides decide to spend money on recces and block dates without signing any papers purely on trust, then in what capacity can one try to go and fight for it? It happens all the time.
I have wasted months trying to make a project happen. It happened when a filmmaker, who was a friend of mine, told me that our project had been indefinitely pushed because the investors pulled out, just two weeks before it went on floors.
For an actress, it’s extremely harsh because we don’t get paid as much. There is a limited time of the year that is good to shoot in. And three months of my peak shooting time got wasted like this because we had not signed any papers. We can only feel guilty about it, but we won’t have the authority to seek compensation. That’s how the business works.
Have you ever lost out on work because of being a bindaas, outspoken person?
I might have, but I don’t get this information firsthand. What I do get to hear is, ‘The hero doesn’t want you to be in the film.’ Heroes decide the heroine in a film, unless you have a director who is the biggest star who asks for a particular person. When Raju (Rajkumar Hirani, director) sir wanted me in Dunki (2023), I was in the film. It might just be a big shock for everybody because I am not in the quintessential circuit of those films, or Shah Rukh (Khan, actor) sir’s regular pair on screen. The director was sure he wanted me.
The other thing I sometimes hear is that I am a little too difficult to work with. But I fail to understand that. Anyone who looks at my filmography, directors who worked with me have repeatedly cast me, and that cannot happen with someone who’s difficult to work with. Nobody wants trouble again and again in their films.
If the people who have not worked with me say that I am not a very social person, I cannot go out of my way to show them how I am. I let my work do the talking. It’s the harder route, but I am saner that way.
Every time Gaurav Solanki and I went to write a scene, we were trying to think like a woman-Anubhav Sinha
8:57 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 17, 2026)
In its first 10 seconds, the trailer of Assi tells you a chilling statistic — that there are 80 reported rape cases in India every day. “That’s one every 20 minutes. By the time you finish this interview, one more would have happened,” director Anubhav Sinha told us, when we met him to discuss his upcoming film that sees Taapsee Pannu as a lawyer, who takes up the case of a sexual assault survivor, essayed by Kani Kusruti.
With Assi, Sinha aims to show how rape culture is rooted in patriarchy. More importantly, he wants to examine our society’s generational failure. “Mothers tell their daughters at 13 that this [sexual violence] may happen, and this is how you deal with it. But men don’t tell their sons about gender equality. We don’t tell them that you might be attracted to another person’s body, but you can’t snatch it,” he rued.
The director teamed up with Gaurav Solanki to write the social drama. Yet, they entered the writing process at a disadvantage. “Every time Gaurav and I went to write a scene, we were trying to think like a woman. That was the toughest part for me. I was watching a lot of films about women to understand women, to feel like one.”
Reuniting with Pannu after Thappad (2020) was a deliberate choice. The director knew she’d front the film for the right reasons. “I meet a lot of actors who want to be in my movies because they think they should want to be in a movie like that. That doesn’t work for me. You will see Taapsee’s honesty in her eyes. She walks the talk.”
Taapsee Pannu's honesty towards her work is terrific-Kumud Mishra
9:53 AM
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 16, 2026)
Actor Kumud Mishra speaks about stepping out of his comfort zone for Anubhav Sinha’s next directorial venture, Assi, a role he initially resisted but ultimately embraced.
There won’t be an Anubhav Sinha project that Mishra would want to refuse. Yet the director never takes their equation for granted, always sending him the script and asking which part he would like to play. With Assi, Mishra picked a role for himself, but Sinha had other plans.
“But he had something else in his mind for me. He gave me a character that I felt was not for me at all. I thought it belonged to someone else. But he said, ‘Aap karenge aur uske liye aapko tayyar hona hoga’.”
Though he agreed, Mishra was apprehensive. “Every character has a look. Your physique should be closer to that of the character. So, I didn’t feel I was ready for this role,” the actor told mid-day. With only two months to prepare, he had to lose weight.
“First I said yes but then I got scared if I would be able to pull it off. I feel in this film, I worked harder on losing weight than on acting,” he laughs.
Reuniting with Taapsee Pannu was a joy. “Her honesty towards her work is terrific. When you have worked with someone several times, you develop a comfort factor and surety that you will be able to create something good.”
Taapsee Pannu calls AQI crisis inevitable, says clean air cannot be a luxury
10:02 AM
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 1, 2025)
Actor Taapsee Pannu, who grew up in Delhi and now lives in Mumbai, says the alarming air-quality levels in both cities come as no surprise. With AQI readings touching hazardous levels over the past week, she says the crisis was “inevitable”.
“It’s not like we didn’t see this coming,” Taapsee tells us, adding, “Anyone who says they weren’t anticipating this was either unreasonably optimistic or living under a rock.”
The actor, who has been vocal about environmental issues, adds that clean air is a fundamental right, not a privilege. “I wonder what we are working so hard for when we cannot even afford clean air,” she says.
“We are putting ourselves through inhuman conditions, especially the older generation and the ones who will come after us. People who have the means will slowly start moving to places where basic living is possible. As always, it is the poor and marginalized who will suffer the most because they have nowhere else to go,” the actor adds.
Taapsee urges governments and citizens to treat public health and environmental protection as urgent priorities.
On Sunday, Mumbai’s air quality stayed largely in the Unhealthy category (151–200 AQI) across most locations. Delhi recorded significantly worse levels, with many areas falling in the Severe (301–400) or Very Poor (201–300) categories.
Taapsee Pannu on why she stopped bursting crackers: "Smoke inside our house became so thick..."
9:23 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 22, 2025)
For Taapsee Pannu, Diwali’s symbolic meaning has grown stronger for her. “Diwali has always been an example given to us from childhood that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. That there will be a day where eventually good will triumph over evil. So, whenever Diwali comes around, it feels like you are getting closer to the end of the tunnel.”
The actress draws parallel to the struggles the industry goes through while making female-centric films. She says, “I think of all the hurdles that we have to go through while making films which are driven by a female-oriented narrative and are difficult to pull through to see success at box office. Festivals have always rekindled that spirit in us. I think I have no other option than to keep that spirit close to my heart and keep moving ahead with it.”
Diwali in India and Christmas in Denmark for Taapsee & Mathias
Talking about Diwali celebrations with her husband, Danish badminton player Mathias Boe, Taapsee shared, “In the last few years, Mathias and I have made a deliberate effort to celebrate Diwali in India and Christmas in Denmark. Mathias has been here during Diwali, and we go there for Christmas,” she says.
Talking about her Diwali memories, she says, “As kids, my sister Shagun and I would paint diyas, make rangolis, light diyas in the evening, and have a good meal with our extended family. That’s the ritual I associate most with Diwali.”
As children Taapsee and Shagun enjoyed bursting crackers, but one Diwali changed everything for them. “As children, we loved crackers. My father never supported the idea — he’d call it a waste of money and bad for the environment. For a few years, we didn’t listen to him. Until one year, the smoke inside our Delhi apartment became so thick that we couldn’t see clearly. It scared me — I felt like the house was filled with gas. After that, we stopped bursting crackers altogether.”
‘My sister and I would compete over who painted the best diya or made the best rangoli’
The sisters had their own brand of competition. “We never competed over outfits. Our thing was — who painted the best diya or made the best rangoli! That was our Diwali rivalry,” she says, adding, “Now we don’t paint diyas but decorate with different kinds of things, make rangolis, do a little ardas in the evening, and have dinner with as many family members as we can gather in Mumbai or Delhi.”
Talking about how she likes to dress up for the festival, she shares, “Indian festivals are all about colour, but Diwali brings out the shine and glamour. It’s probably the only time of the year I’d pick a red, sparkly outfit without overthinking.”
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Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 23, 2025)
Actor Taapsee Pannu, who splits her time between Mumbai and Denmark after marrying Danish badminton player Mathias Boe, is currently finishing the interiors of their vintage home. She says, “There’s a lot of history involved and we wanted to restore as much as possible. There’s vintage furniture that’s been there for decades, which I did not want to get rid of. We requested the previous owners to let us keep it. Labour is extremely expensive in Denmark, and transportation and storing things in warehouses cost and bomb, so people prefer selling their stuff. We were lucky to inherit all the vintage lamps, furniture, paintings and chandeliers, it goes with the vintage theme of the house, classic Danish designs.”
Speaking about their taste in interiors and how the couple designed their home, Taapsee shares, “Mathias and I have some common tastes, but in some matters we agree to disagree. He’s left most of the interiors to me and his parents, who were also kind enough to let me decide. However, I discuss with everybody before taking any decision.”
Taapsee mentions that Mathias’ father, a former architect, has also been helping out. She adds, “What is strange for Danes but normal for us Indians is that Mathias’s parents live with us. They have their own space on the ground floor. It’s the most Indian thing I brought into the house, and it took us a while to convince them because it’s not so common to live with grown-up kids in Danish culture. Since we keep travelling, we wanted someone to come home to, and it truly feels like home.”
While Taapsee calls Denmark “poster perfect,” she admits that the language barrier has posed a challenge: “I didn’t feel the need to learn the language until the past few years, when we bought the house and had to interact with locals. I thought it’s a good idea to know Danish. I can understand and construct basic sentences now.”
Sharing her love for both Denmark and India, the actor says, “In Denmark, the air feels so good and so does the water. There’s a certain dopamine in the air; it gives you a high. I look forward to turning my life upside down when there. You need to do everything yourself; cooking, cleaning, buying groceries, et al. We cycle at 6 a.m. to get groceries! Whereas in India, it’s easy to get support for the smallest of needs.”
The actor reveals that whenever she’s back in India, all she craves is desi food. “I enjoy food in Denmark, but in India, my menu from morning to night is desi food. I try to have Indian meals throughout the day, from a breakfast of chila and upma to simple khichdis. I especially love the festive period here, with dance and music constantly playing in the background. I enjoy putting up diyas and drawing rangoli, something I’ve been doing since my childhood. These rituals may not have tangible significance, but they make me feel at home,” she reflects.
Mulk 2: Taapsee Pannu shoots intense scene in Bandra church; Anubhav Sinha plans outdoor schedule
3:07 PM
Sources say Taapsee Pannu shooting Mulk 2’s courtroom scenes in a Bandra church; unit to head to UP and Haryana for the next leg
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 17, 2025)
In April, mid-day reported that Taapsee Pannu and filmmaker Anubhav Sinha had kicked off Mulk 2, the sequel to their hard-hitting 2018 courtroom drama (Court mein phir se haazir ho, April 14). Over a month on, work on the drama is on in full swing. The actor, over the past two weeks, has been filming pivotal scenes at a Bandra church, which has been transformed into a courtroom for the shoot.
Like Mulk, the sequel will explore themes of identity, faith, and civil liberties. It remains unclear whether Pannu is reprising her role of lawyer Aarti.
A source from the unit reveals, “Taapsee has been shooting courtroom portions over the past few days. The emotionally charged sequences see her delivering lengthy monologues. She is fully prepped, and one can see how deeply she is invested in the material.”
From what we’ve heard, the Mumbai leg will go on for another four days. After that, Sinha is apparently planning an intensive 20-day outdoor schedule in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Another insider tells us, “Anubhav’s past films are proof that he tells his stories in a gritty and realistic manner. He wants to root Mulk 2’s story in its social and geographical context. Locations have been finalised in Lucknow, Meerut, and Karnal, where the director will film some rally and courtroom scenes. The movie will have another 20-25 days of work before he calls it a wrap.”
After Mulk 2, Pannu will move to Haseen Dillruba 3.
Taapsee Pannu returns for Haseen Dillruba 3, with script work officially underway
10:16 AM
The writing for Taapsee Pannu’s third Haseen Dillruba film has begun, promising more seductive thrills, drama, and high stakes
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; May 4, 2025)
She is back to put her charm on display and seductively woo the men in her life. The fiery femme fatale of one of Netflix’s popular thrillers isn’t done just yet. Taapsee Pannu returns for the third instalment of the Haseen Dillruba franchise. A month after the actor and the film’s writer-producer Kanika Dhillon teased the third edition in an online interaction, mid-day has learnt that work on the script is officially underway.
“The prep is in full-swing. The team knew that the love story between Rani and Rishu [played by Vikrant Massey] with its pulpy narrative had scope for another part,” says a source. The romantic crime thriller originally premiered on the OTT giant in 2021, quickly earning cult status for its mix of small-town charm, seductive tension, and unexpected twists. Its sequel, Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba, released in August 2024, continuing the twisted tale of love.
Now, insiders suggest that the third part will raise the bar even further. “It is one of the most successful titles for the platform. So, the aim is to create a more fun, juicy and thrilling third part,” the source adds.
Pannu has wrapped up Gandhari and is filming Mulk 2, directed by Anubhav Sinha. Despite her packed schedule, she will dive back into the world of passion and peril by end of the year.
Anubhav Sinha begins shooting for Mulk 2 with Taapsee Pannu
9:50 AM
Sources say seven years after legal drama Mulk’s release, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has begun filming its sequel with Taapsee Pannu
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; April 14, 2025)
Anubhav Sinha’s career can be divided into two parts, pre- and post-Mulk (2018). The Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu-led courtroom drama marked a new chapter in his filmmaking career as he went on to helm several hard-hitting movies. Now, it looks like the director is back to where it all started—sources tell us he is filming his next, Mulk 2. For the sequel, Sinha has reunited with not only Pannu, but also Gaurav Solanki, who wrote Article 15 (2019).
In February, Pannu had hinted at a reunion as she celebrated five years of their film, Thappad (2020). A source says, “Anubhav has begun filming his next with Taapsee. Like Mulk, the movie explores a socially relevant theme.”
The 2018 offering examined the bigotry faced by a Muslim family. It’s not known yet whether Mulk 2 picks up where the first ended or is a spiritual sequel.
The movie will apparently also feature Manoj Pahwa, who starred in Mulk.
How Taapsee Pannu’s hush hush wedding was about giving back
9:30 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (April 1, 2025)
Grand weddings might be the norm in Bollywood, but Taapsee Pannu took a different route last year. The actor married longtime partner, former badminton player Mathias Boe in a private ceremony in Udaipur last March and kept the entire affair under wraps.
Now, as the couple marked their first wedding anniversary, a sweet detail about their big day has surfaced. Instead of the usual wedding gifts, Taapsee and Mathias requested guests to contribute towards Project Nanhi Kali — an initiative the actor has been associated with closely for five years.
RJ Abhilash, a close friend of the actor, shares, “We all know the girls supported by Taapsee (in this initiative) as ‘Taapsee ke bacche’ because that’s how she introduces them. [She is] always sharing their milestones as her personal victories. Taapsee and Mathias perhaps have access to the choicest of things across the globe. So, I am glad that instead of a regular gift, we were able to make the girls at Nanhi Kali feel included in the celebrations.”
Turns out, even the quietest weddings can leave a lasting impact. Sheetal Mehta, trustee and executive director of KC Mahindra Education Trust, acknowledges the couple’s gesture, as well as Taapsee’s long-standing support.
She says, “Taapsee and Mathias’ commitment to girls’ education reflects the power of consistent, meaningful action. Since 2020, her support for 100 young girls has created ripples of change — representing not just access to quality education but the freedom to dream bigger. What makes Taapsee’s involvement special is her understanding that real change happens when we show up.”
Taapsee Pannu on Kirti Kulhari's Pink promotion snub: "I cannot discard her feelings"
10:10 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; March 17, 2025)
During a recent interview, Kirti Kulhari spoke about feeling sidelined during the promotions of her film, Pink (2016). Kirti stated that during Pink’s promotions, her co-actor Taapsee Pannu became the ‘Pink girl’ and shared that it affected the equation between the two actresses.
When we spoke to Taapsee about Kirti’s statements, she said, “How would I know? She has the full right to feel the way she does. I would be the last person to tell someone what you are feeling is wrong. If someone has felt a certain way, I’m sure there’s a reason.”
Taapsee said, “That person voiced whatever they did. Had I known that she felt sidelined in any way, I would have liked to speak to her at that point and ask if there was something I could do to make it better. Unfortunately, I did not know there was an issue at that point. So, I don’t know what to do with it. I can’t discard her feelings.”
Talking about their equation, Taapsee acknowledges that Kirti and she might not be close friends but maintains that their professional relationship remained unchanged. “Since she saw our relationship or situation in a certain way, maybe she felt the distance from me. I always kept it professional with her, and I still do. I worked with her in Mission Mangal as well, and I don’t think professionally anything changed for me, because from where I saw it, I did not see any disparity. So, for me, it was the same girl who I worked with in Pink,” she said.
Meanwhile, rumours are rife that Taapsee will be stepping into Priyanka Chopra’s shoes for the sequel of Aitraaz. While the actress doesn’t deny the rumours, she explains, “These things are very confidential. Someone who’s investing too much money in this wouldn’t like it to be announced or talked about in any other way. So, I will let the right people talk about how they are approaching the casting.”
One of the reasons I did Bala was because the other girl’s part was written so well-Bhumi Pednekar
9:51 AM
Bhumi Pednekar enjoys doing movies with another strong female character, as she feels girls ‘understand and root for each other’
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 15, 2025)
Bhumi Pednekar’s latest film, Mere Husband Ki Biwi, released last month and it failed to rake in the moolah at the box office. However, the actor is satisfied with the project, as she says, “As long as somebody finds something to connect with the film, I am okay with it. We wanted to make a fun popcorn watcher, so if it is successful in doing that, it’s enough. I really hope that the time of word-of-mouth films doesn’t go away. If that didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have been here.”
Like Bala (2019), Saand Ki Aankh (2019), Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) and Govinda Naam Mera (2022), Mere Husband Ki Biwi, too, is a two-heroine film, co-starring Rakul Preet Singhs.
Sharing how she enjoys being a part of such projects rather than feeling insecure, Bhumi says, “I am a very secure actor. A lot of times, the length of a female actor’s role takes a hit due to a male actor’s part, so it’s unfair to do the same to another female actor in a two-heroine film. Ultimately, these are all characters. I had so much fun working on films with another strong female character, because as girls, we understand and always root for each other. I have done a Saand Ki Aankh with Taapsee (Pannu, actor), which is one of my most cherished works.”
Bhumi insists that for her, a good story is all that matters. “I will never leave a film because the other female part is better. Aap mujhe chaar scene bhi doge toh I will do my best. In that story, if there are 10 protagonists or just me, it doesn’t make a difference. Like in Bala, I feel Yami (Gautam Dhar, actor) killed it, and a very good reason why I did Bala was because the other girl’s part was written so well,” she ends.
Taapsee Pannu refuses to use a stunt double; we are so much in awe of the leaps she takes-Kanika Dhillon
8:16 AM
Having churned out OTT hits with Haseen Dillruba franchise and Do Patti, writer-producer Kanika Dhillon reveals she is developing a drama for theatres after the actioner Gandhari
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 25, 2025)
Kanika Dhillon has a new dream. After establishing a wide audience base with the Haseen Dillruba franchise and Do Patti (2024) on OTT, the writer-producer is big-screen bound. “My next after Gandhari will be a theatrical offering. As a writer, I have done big-screen films like Kedarnath [2018] and Dunki [2023]; now, as a producer, the big screen is the dream,” Dhillon reveals.
So, what’s her next all about? She remains tight-lipped about the details, only saying, “The story will be drama pro max.” But before she sets foot in the world of drama, another genre has her undivided attention—action. Gandhari, which marks the writer-producer’s reunion with her frequent collaborator Taapsee Pannu, is currently being shot. Devashish Makhija’s directorial venture revolves around Pannu’s protagonist, a mother who is out to rescue her child.
Dhillon is evidently excited about foraying into the action genre, as she says, “I love action films. Taapsee, at one point, was keen to do action. Our stars usually align. When you start something new, you need someone to take that leap of faith with you.”
In Pannu, she has found a collaborator who, like her, goes all out when telling a story. “Taapsee refuses to use a stunt double. In one moment, I see her pulling off a stunt and we are all clapping, and then I wonder, ‘Has she landed well?’ We are so much in awe of the leaps she takes,” Dhillon shares.
The writer-producer recalls that when Gandhari was announced last year, the industry was “curious” about how Pannu and she would tackle the genre that is believed to be a male domain. Over her 18-year journey, Dhillon says she has battled many such perceptions steeped in sexism. “First, they used to say pulp doesn’t work; then they said women don’t write pulp. Today I am called for panels and they say, ‘You have created an only-pulp franchise.’ Before I get a thumbs up, I always have to cross a ‘No’,” she says, adding that gender stereotypes in the industry aren’t only restricted to what women write, but also extend to their appearance.
“Initially, I used to hear remarks like, ‘Have you come to audition?’ But I decided that I won’t hide behind mota chashma and kurta, or any stereotype of how a writer should be. So, I started dressing up. I was furious with that condescending judgment.”
Taapsee Pannu takes my mad ideas and runs wild with them-Kanika Dhillon
8:28 AM
Writer-producer Kanika Dhillon, whose Do Patti has become 2024’s most-watched OTT film, on how her creative synergy with Taapsee Pannu has led them to make the woman-led actioner, Gandhari
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 25, 2025)
There is no formula to a successful movie. But looking at writer-producer Kanika Dhillon’s filmography may make you think otherwise. With Do Patti (2024), she has delivered the most watched OTT film of the year, as per viewership data. In 2021, she achieved the feat with Haseen Dillruba. When we get on a call with her, that’s what we begin with: Has she cracked a formula to success?
“There is never a formula,” she laughs. “No subject is niche; the tryst is to make it accessible to a larger audience. That’s how even when I take a layered theme like domestic abuse, it has a large audience engagement. You have to determine early on who you want to reach out to. According to that, you determine the film’s syntax.”
Armed with these lessons, Dhillon has kicked off her next OTT film, Gandhari, helmed by Devashish Makhija of Joram (2023) fame. The two are as different as chalk and cheese. “It’s proven that the DNA of the most able babies are the ones that come from different bloodlines. Devashish is indie, and I’m [mainstream]. I think Gandhari will be the best baby,” says Dhillon.
It’s designed as a full-blown actioner led by Taapsee Pannu, who plays a mother out to rescue her abducted child. “I’m an action junkie. I watch two to three action films a week. What’s a gamble is doing an action film with a female at the centre. It’s not done often, but Gandhari will stand out because it’s also a compelling story.”
This is her sixth outing with Pannu after Manmarziyaan (2018), Rashmi Rocket (2021), the Haseen Dillruba franchise, and Dunki (2023). Working with the actor, she says, is great for a simple reason. “She takes my mad ideas and runs wild with them. Our sense of righteousness and rage have brought Devashish, Taapsee and me together. The hyper-masculine stories have taken over. Gandhari is perhaps the antidote we need.”
Even as male-led actioners are dominating the scene today, Dhillon notes that the tide is slowly turning. “The focus in the past year has been on stories. Of course, there are challenges with female-led films. The ambition is not always supported by the finance it deserves. But if a story is made on the correct budget and is engaging, you will get recognition.”
Kajol, Taapsee Pannu have a no-nonsense attitude, says Aditya Seal
8:06 AM
Having collaborated with an array of female actors in his films, Aditya Seal reflects on the lessons he has learnt from his co-stars
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 23, 2024)
Having collaborated with a host of female actors over the years, Aditya Seal confesses his projects have shaped him. Seal, who has featured alongside artistes like Taapsee Pannu, Manisha Koirala, and Kajol, appreciated them for their “no-nonsense attitude”.
The actor says, “Taapsee, Manisha ma’am, and Kajol ma’am are incredible examples of what it means to stay true to your beliefs and never settle for less than you deserve. They embody strength and resilience. I’ve always believed that women must stand up for their rights, and, as men, it’s our responsibility to support and uplift them, whether in our families, workplaces, or society. Empowered women build a stronger world, and I am proud to stand by them.”
Seal credits Pannu—his Khel Khel Mein co-star—for turning up on set with an “incredible energy”. “She is sharp, and witty, and knows exactly how to elevate a scene. Watching her commitment taught me a lot about precision in performances. Every actress I’ve worked with has brought something unique to the table. They’ve shaped me into a more versatile actor, pushing me to dig deeper into my craft.”
Kajol, who he features with in the upcoming action thriller Maharagni: Queen of Queens, has “an aura of brilliance”. “She brings so much depth to her characters that sharing the screen with her feels like attending a masterclass in acting.”
Maharagni, which also stars Prabhudeva, was a film that “demanded a lot from me, emotionally”. “Kajol ma’am’s support and insights were invaluable. She’s a dream co-star—always encouraging and yet challenging you to be your best.”
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