Taapsee Pannu is known for her diverse characters, such as Prakashi in Saand ki Aankh (2019) and Rani in Haseen Dillruba (2021), and is often referred to as an “unconventional” heroine. However, the pressure to deliver something out-of-the-box in every film can be overwhelming for the actor.

“I appreciate that people have a certain perception of me, and that they expect me to do something unconventional and different from the norm. But, looking at my work solely through that lens and anticipating something drastically different in every frame of every movie can be harsh, unfair and brutal. While I can experiment with my character, the story and the world around it, there are certain limitations as it’s the same human being performing all of those roles. I do feel the pressure sometimes,” Pannu explains.

The actor believes that if the audience watches her work without any preconceived notions or judgments, they will see variety and uniqueness in each film she does. “I became an actor because I enjoy the craft and the process of it, not for the fame and glory that come with it,” she says.

Pannu has an exciting lineup of movies, including Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba (a thriller), Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan (a comedy) and a comedy-drama with actor Shah Rukh Khan, Dunki, about which she did not reveal much.

However, regarding the leaked pictures from the sets of Dunki, the actor shares, “The pictures were taken on the Westminster Bridge in London during a Sunday morning shoot. It’s impossible to stop people when they’ve come to see ‘The Shah Rukh Khan’. I think that was the best Sunday morning for many of us, to see him there on that bridge. While we try to keep people away so they can enjoy certain looks and moments on screen, it’s inevitable when you have such a big star in front of you.”

The year 2023 will be an interesting one for Taapsee Pannu as she gets back to comedy, a genre which she isn’t really known for, with not one, but two films. The actress, who is known for her sharp wit in real life, talks about what kept her away from the genre. The year will also see her sharing screen space with none other than Shah Rukh Khan. Usually seen as the hero of her own films, she elaborates on what it feels like to share screen space with a superstar, how her choices have helped her reach where she is and more. Read on...

With Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan (starring Pratik Gandhi and Prateik Babbar), I am doing an out-and-out comedy. This is the first time I am attempting something of that sort where the joke will not be on me. I will be cracking the jokes. Having said that, both the parts are very challenging. Getting the joke cracked on you is not an easy task because you have to keep a straight face and behave like you didn’t get what just happened, which is difficult.

Likewise, when you know what is happening that’s a different kind of a challenge, too. Comedy is very difficult because the timing of your dialogues and responses is so critical. Comedy is a whole new experience. Usually in comedy films, actresses are cast to add glamour to the story, but this film takes care of that. My character gets to do comedy with Pratik Gandhi’s character. In Dunki, too, I enjoyed doing a lot of comedy.

I did get approached for a few comedy films. Whoever has met me in person or has worked with me in some capacity, knows that comedy comes naturally to me over being intense and serious. I didn’t take up those films because that kind of comedy didn’t match my sensibility or as I said, I didn’t want to be an object of comedy. However, I wanted to do comedy. That’s what the delay was for and finally, I got something which was closest to my sense of humour. That’s what the delay was for and I finally got something where I was closest to my kind of humour.

I think with that kind of a combination where Raju sir and Shah Rukh sir are in the same film, even if they would have asked me to be a tree in the background, I would have done that. The fact that there is a very solid love story in the film, the fact that this is probably one of the strongest roles that in this kind of a set-up a girl (heroine) can imagine doing — all of this is a bonus. I am seeing this film as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It has happened to me after a decade of working here and every day of the film shoot, I treated it like it might never happen again, so let’s just make the most of it. I am taking home a lot of new things that I learnt from both of them as a professional.

Honestly, I am totally fine with it. I have done a lot of films in between where I was not really worried about who takes the cake. When I did Soorma and Mission Mangal, it was a very thought-out choice that in every film I can’t be the driver. I can’t be the centre of the story every time and I am very comfortable with that. For me, it is like what I am taking away from this film. Am I getting something to learn? From Dunki, I am definitely getting that. It was a 100 per cent choice of mine that I wanted to be around these two (Raju Hirani and SRK) and make the most of the opportunity. Talking about why I didn’t do these kind of films — I never had the option. Having said that, I am glad that I got the kind of films that I did because it helped me create a path of my own. And I think I got Dunki and the role in particular, because of the kind of films I have done so far and not because I have worked with some big names before. Nobody picked up the phone and recommended my name for this, it happened purely because I might have done something right in choosing the kind of films I have done. Even if it took 10 years, I got this film on my own merit.

(Laughs) See most of my contemporaries, who are getting married and having babies had actually met their better halves after I started dating the person I am still dating. Yes, it’s been really long and it’s the same person that I have been dating, thankfully. It is not like I have ever shied away from owning up to it. It is just that my relationship happened in the early years of my career and at that time if this conversation came up, it would be about that and not about my work.

Having said that, I think everybody knows that neither of us are into PDA, nor are we trying to run away from accepting our relationship. We are both self-made individuals in terms of our career and work keeps us occupied. Thankfully, we end up finding time for each other and that has helped this long-distance relationship work for over nine years now. I am not in any competition — neither in my professional life, nor in my personal life. I am perfectly fine with the pace at which I am going in my life.

Taapsee Pannu is in a “happy, comfortable space”, having finally debuted as a producer with her latest OTT release Blurr. However, the actor admits it wasn’t easy balancing the “dual task” of playing the lead part and being the producer. In a candid chat, Pannu opens up about plans to not do thrillers for sometime now, the typecasting culture in Bollywood and why she wants to return to the big screen soon. Excerpts:

I felt that this is a controlled film, in terms of locations and number of people, so it’ll be nice to step into and test my skills as a producer. Also, I wanted to be responsible and instrumental in taking decisions in terms of who should be in the film in the capacity of cast and crew, and how the film should look.

My personal ego is way insignificant in front of a good script. I can’t keep satisfying my ego of being called the ‘best’ actor, the ‘highest-paid’ actor or the ‘most versatile’ actor in the industry. All this is too secondary. If I get a good script, I want to do it irrespective of the genre, or worrying about what slot it puts me into. I feel if you have a strong recall value of me as an actor for doing certain kinds of roles, I still look at it in a positive light.

I don’t have any tricks as an actor to portray these roles than to actually believe that this is happening to me. So, it takes a mental toll and burns me out. After Blurr, I decided to just go light on my filmography and not delve into darker zones, because I really need to recover mentally.

Before the day started rolling and after pack-up, I was fully in the producer zone, but even while acting, I was subconsciously bothered. And that dual role of being a producer kept haunting me a bit. After the film got over, I told myself that I need to choose either for a particular project and not be an actor on board, unless absolutely necessary.

I didn’t have an option with those projects coming on OTT because that was the best possible medium to at least present my work to audiences, when theatres were shut. I’d still want to go back to being on the big screen because that’s what I’m an audience to. However, after Haseen Dillruba, I saw the plus side of OTT — which is accessibility and its insane reach.

No. Just because one kind of a genre, a whodunit thriller worked, doesn’t mean people stopped making them. Be it films or docudramas about these psycho killers, they’re a rage right now on OTT. So, you won’t stop making a film on them just because so many such series already exist.

After Blurr, I immediately jumped into Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, an out-and-out comedy. The director told me, ‘You’ve gone through a lot in the last couple of years with the kind of films and roles you’ve done. For this, I just want you to be yourself and have fun’. This was literally the only brief I got for my character. In fact, all my successive films that I’ve done or signed up, including Dunki, are all relatively light and more fun. So, that helps me detox.

Faizabad-born actor Yogendra Vikram Singh became a household name after he played Samrath in Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin. He recently bid goodbye to the show and though he is emotional about his track ending, he is also happy that he got a call from his favourite actress Rekha.

He says, “It was Rekha ji who had introduced my track in the show. It was an emotional moment when she called to tell me how she liked my journey in the show and that she was going to miss seeing me in it. It really made my journey more worthwhile. In fact, not many people know this, but my character had to die very early in the show. However, because it was so loved by viewers, it got an extension. Now, I have finally made an exit.”

Yogendra, who has been part of films like Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Baabarr, NH10 and Saand Ki Aankh among others, says he is happy working on the small screen. “With just one TV show my followers increased manifold on social media. Such is the power of this medium. Ab woh din aa gaye hai when people recognize me and now I don’t have to introduce myself to people every time. It is a good feeling,” he says.

So what next? “I would now like to play a lead character in a TV show, whether it is a positive lead or a negative. Plus, I have a film titled Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, too, and a couple of OTT projects as well,” he says.

Usually roped in for films far distanced from comedy, Prateik Babbar is happy to explore his comic streak with Bachchhan Paandey. “I love comedy. I am an instinctive actor, one who [appropriately] uses the material that I must deliver. Spontaneity is crucial in comedy. Since I worked with Akshay Kumar, a man with great comic timing, together we managed to pull off some comedy, without trying too hard. People close to me know me to be an absolute goofball. Comedy doesn’t come naturally to me, but I am comfortable with it,” says the actor, who counts himself fortunate to share screen space with Kumar instead of lamenting about being in a supporting role.

“Obviously, I was concerned about how impactful my character would be. It’s a mysterious character; one that drew me towards giving a green signal. Working with Akki is a no-brainer. He is a prominent star and is one of my heroes. I am grateful to be in a position to support him, and other actors. I find myself in a good space. I am being offered all kinds of characters. All my upcoming projects have me positioned in the lead or parallel lead, including Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, with Pratik Gandhi.”

The Friday release Bachchan Pandey sees Kumar in the titular role while Kriti Sanon plays a journalist who harbours the dream of becoming a film director.

Junglee Pictures and Roy Kapur Films have produced several concept-driven stories that have received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The powerhouse studios are now getting together to produce a unique comedy-drama story with a fresh lead pair. Written and directed by Arshad Syed, Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan? brings together Taapsee Pannu and Pratik Gandhi for the first time.

Having made a mark with her impactful performances, Taapsee will be seen playing her first comedy role as a feisty cop. Pratik, who has earned accolades for his performance in Scam 1992, will be seen in a different avatar as the young newly-wedded scion of a ‘masala’ magnate family. The makers have shared an exciting first look of the actors from the film from their current shooting schedule in Jaipur.

Talking about his collaboration with Junglee Pictures, producer and managing director of Roy Kapur Films (RKF), Siddharth Roy Kapur, shares, “We are happy to collaborate with Junglee Pictures, which has a stellar track record of backing unique and entertaining stories. Their excitement around this story was evident right from their unbridled laughter in Arshad’s script narration, and I look forward to a wonderful association ahead of us.”

With upcoming family entertainer films like Badhaai Do and Doctor G, Junglee Pictures has Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan? as the next film in their release slate. Amrita Pandey, CEO, Junglee Pictures, shares, “Arshad has written an intriguing and enjoyable story and we are elated to have collaborated with Roy Kapur Films. Both Taapsee Pannu and Pratik Gandhi have made a huge impact with their work and to have them together in the film is really exciting.”

On playing a cop for the first time, Taapsee says, “Playing a police woman and doing a comedy film has always been on my checklist and I am happy that it is finally ticked off. I had seen Pratik’s work and he is a very talented actor and I am enjoying working with him. Arshad has written an amazing script with great comic quirks and also a lot of heart, which I am looking forward to. I am happy that Junglee Pictures and Roy Kapur Films have collaborated to produce this film. It’s going to be a fun ride!”

On playing a role like this for the first time, Pratik is equally excited to showcase the quirks of his character. He says, “My character is very different from anything I have ever done before, and that is exciting. Taapsee is super talented and I am so thrilled to be working with her. Arshad has a great vision and he has written the story with so much nuance. I am sure the audiences will love it.”

Talking about his directorial debut, Arshad Syed shares, “Having a cast of brilliant actors like Taapsee and Pratik has enriched my cinematic journey. The characters they’re essaying are the comic fodder of our film. Sharing the first glimpse of their characters is exciting for the entire team.”

Junglee Pictures and Roy Kapur Films’ Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan? starring Taapsee Pannu and Pratik Gandhi and written and directed by Arshad Syed, is scheduled for release next year.

What do you get when you bring one of Bollywood’s reigning actors and the biggest find of 2020 together? Hopefully, a lot of laughs. That’s what director Arshad Syed was counting on when he announced his comedy Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan?, featuring Taapsee Pannu and Pratik Gandhi, in February. Pannu, who is filming her Telugu project Mishan Impossible, which will be followed by the Shabaash Mithu shoot, says the comedy will be the perfect way to bring the year to a close. “Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan? is a social satire. The material is hilarious, and I am thrilled as well as nervous [to attempt it],” says the actor.

The movie explores the battle of wits that ensues when Gandhi’s chauvinistic brat and Pannu’s cop take a journey together. The Scam 1992 actor, having got little opportunity so far to showcase his light-hearted side on screen, says, “I have done a lot of comedy in theatre, but this will be my first brush with the genre on screen. It’s not easy to crack comedy. It requires an artiste to be spontaneous and go with the flow. My theatre directors have told me that my comic timing [is perfect], so I am hopeful of pulling this off.”

But it will be a while before the duo can dive into the shoot of the rib-tickling fest. With the second lockdown having disrupted the timeline of many projects, the two are scrambling to honour their commitments. For Pannu, who recently returned from an envy-inducing Russia vacation, it’s all work for the next few months. “After the first lockdown, I had to finish several films in four months. I don’t endorse [working like this], but one [doesn’t have an option] in such a situation. Now, we’re in a similar scenario due to the second lockdown. I am negotiating with my producers to make up for the lost time.”

Gandhi has to wrap up Six Suspects before he can train his focus on the film. He says, “The plan is to shoot by the year-end, but a lot of dates have been reworked. We’ll begin our readings in a couple of months.”

Since the smashing success of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story last year, all eyes have been on Pratik Gandhi, with the audience eager to see him make a splash in Bollywood. Only a month after he announced that he was part of Atithi Bhooto Bhava, the actor has bagged a biggie — he is set to share screen space with Taapsee Pannu in Siddharth Roy Kapur’s production, Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan?

The investigative comedy, directed by Arshad Syed and set in central India, sees Pannu play a feisty cop while Gandhi essays the role of a chauvinistic brat. When the two are compelled to take an unlikely journey together, their opposite personalities clash, leading to a hilarious battle of wits.  

Having a knack for picking characters that have a unique voice, Pannu says the Roy Kapur Films’ venture gives her an opportunity to bring another strong-headed woman to life. “I loved the strong and thoroughly entertaining character that Arshad had written for me. It is exciting to partner with a producer as prolific as Sid, as well as Pratik, whose performance in Scam 1992 left a lasting impression on me.” Gandhi, who is taking baby steps into Hindi cinema, knows only too well that the next few films will be his litmus test. “I was looking to dive into something totally different after Scam 1992, and this role ticked all the boxes,” says the actor.

The movie marks the directorial debut of Syed, who has previously written Adaalat, Student Of The Year 2 (2019) and Breathe: Into The Shadows (2020). The director is currently zeroing in on the rest of the cast before he takes the project on floors by the year-end. The producer adds that he greenlit the film during Syed’s first narration itself. “When Arshad narrated his charming screenplay to us, we instantly knew we had to produce the film. We are excited to work with Taapsee, who brings so much energy to the screen, and Pratik, who blew us away with his performance in Scam 1992.”