Taapsee Pannu has come a long way in her career, but the journey wasn’t without self-doubt and insecurities. The actress opened up about the early days when she questioned her looks, style, and even her ability to be a heroine. She admitted struggling to deal with insecurities. She also recalled how she was advised to work alongside A-listers to get more work.
Taapsee on dealing with insecurities
In an interview with Zoom TV, Taapsee talked about the insecurities she had about her beauty. “I wish I didn’t feel like I don’t look like the biggest divas around, so mujhe koi heroine kyun banayega (why will someone make me the heroine)? But that’s not the only quality required to be a heroine. I didn’t have basic fashion sense, makeup sense, or even know what my best angle was—nothing,” she said.
She recalled how she “butchered” herself every day, thinking she wasn`t good enough. “I wish I didn’t take such a beating to learn all this in the first few years. I learnt everything eventually, but the amount of beating I gave myself—it tired me mentally. I wish I wouldn’t have felt that way and just enjoyed the process of learning. That is one thing I really hope someone told me,” she added.
Taapsee on career advice
The Haseen Dilruba actress also recalled how she believed in everything she was told initially in her career. “I believed everything. I had no reason not to believe them. They were all senior people, more experienced people, telling me that heroines have a shelf life of 5–6 years. You only have to act opposite big stars, no matter how much older they are than you. To be the A-lister, you have to just act opposite big A-lister heroes. It doesn’t matter what your role is.”
“Of course, I was told not to have any affairs or relationships while becoming a heroine. Because once you start dating someone, people will not look at you in the same aspirational light. You are only a desirable heroine if they feel you are single and available. They also told me not to do any negative roles or grey-shade characters, because you become a vamp.”
On the work front, Taapsee will next be seen in Gandhari, a revenge drama directed by Devashish Makhija and backed by Kanika Dhillon’s Katha Pictures. The film is set to premiere on Netflix.
