Mumbai: Taapsee Pannu, known for her performances in intense and socially driven films, has expressed a desire to explore lighter genres, particularly romantic comedies. The actor said she has often found herself being offered similar strong and intense characters and wants filmmakers to trust her ability to portray a wider range of roles.
Speaking to Hindustan Times ahead of the release of Gandhari, Taapsee said she would love to take up a fun romantic comedy and urged filmmakers to give her an opportunity to explore a different side of her acting.
Taapsee asks filmmakers to give her lighter roles
Taapsee said she had been waiting for the industry to look beyond the intense characters with which she has increasingly become associated.
“Please tell people, have mercy, give me something light,” she said, adding that she would be interested in doing a romantic comedy.
According to the actor, the Hindi film industry often becomes cautious after associating an actor with a particular genre. Once performers establish themselves in a certain type of role, filmmakers tend to repeatedly cast them in similar characters instead of exploring their versatility.
Taapsee described this as a limitation in the industry’s creative imagination.
‘There’s a certain creative bankruptcy’
The actor said filmmakers sometimes choose to play safe rather than trust performers to demonstrate their range.
She argued that if an actor is considered capable, directors and producers should have confidence in their ability to move between different genres and characters.
Taapsee pointed to her own career as an example, saying that the roles offered to her do not necessarily represent the full extent of what she can perform.
She explained that if she is repeatedly offered intense films, she will naturally choose the strongest projects among them. However, the resulting filmography can give audiences the impression that she is suited only to strong-woman and serious roles.
She turned down several investigation and action films
Taapsee revealed that she has rejected numerous investigation dramas and action projects following films such as Baby and Naam Shabana.
She said she did not want to repeatedly portray similar characters simply because audiences and filmmakers had begun associating her with those genres.
The actor maintained that repeatedly receiving similar scripts can restrict an artist’s opportunity to demonstrate versatility.
Her comments come after a career that has included a number of physically demanding, dramatic and socially relevant roles. Films such as Pink, Mulk, Thappad, Rashmi Rocket and Dobaaraa have contributed to her image as an actor frequently associated with unconventional and challenging material.
However, Taapsee has also experimented with lighter and more commercial films.
Taapsee points to ‘Manmarziyaan’
Taapsee cited Manmarziyaan as an example of her ability to carry a romantic story.
She questioned why filmmakers might find it difficult to imagine her as the lead in a conventional love story despite her having already demonstrated that side of her acting.
According to the actor, the perception that she belongs primarily to intense cinema can make it difficult for romantic projects featuring her to receive approval.
She said filmmakers should be willing to imagine actors in different worlds instead of restricting them to the genres in which they have previously succeeded.
Her comments underline the challenges actors can face when their successful screen image becomes closely tied to a particular type of character.
‘Khel Khel Mein’ gave her an opportunity to have fun
Taapsee also discussed her experience with comedy in Khel Khel Mein.
She said she chose the film partly because she wanted to have fun while working on a project with an ensemble cast.
The actor credited director Mudassar Aziz with trusting her to handle comedy and allowing her to explore a different performance style.
For Taapsee, the experience demonstrated the importance of filmmakers giving actors opportunities to move outside their established comfort zones.
She believes similar opportunities could help her explore more light-hearted characters and genres in the future.
‘Gandhari’ brings another intense role
While Taapsee is seeking lighter projects, her latest release Gandhari once again places her in a demanding and emotionally intense role.
Directed by Devashish Makhija and written and produced by Kanika Dhillon, the film features Taapsee as Bani, a mother whose daughter has been abducted.
The film also stars Ishwak Singh, Jatin Sarna, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht and Chhaya Kadam.
Gandhari premiered on Netflix on September 3.
The project adds another intense character to Taapsee’s filmography, even as the actor publicly expresses her interest in moving towards more diverse material.
Actor seeks greater variety in future projects
Taapsee’s comments highlight a broader issue within the film industry, where an actor’s successful association with a particular genre can sometimes influence the kinds of scripts they receive.
For an actor who has built a reputation through challenging roles, moving into romantic comedy can offer an opportunity to demonstrate a different performance style and connect with audiences in a lighter setting.
Taapsee has made it clear that she does not want her existing filmography to be treated as a complete representation of her abilities. Her appeal for filmmakers to trust actors with varied roles reflects her desire to expand the creative possibilities available to her.
As Gandhari begins streaming, audiences will see Taapsee once again in the kind of intense role that has defined much of her recent career. Whether the industry’s perception changes enough to bring her a prominent romantic comedy remains to be seen, but the actor has made her preference clear: she wants the opportunity to show that she can do much more than intense drama and action.