‘The role stays with me even after the film is over': Taapsee Pannu on 'Game Over' and more

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.

 
Taapsee Pannu

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.