Taapsee Pannu says they are trying to change the thought process that says ‘thappad se dar nahi lagta’

Taapsee Pannu, who sent across the message that no means no with her film Pink, is now set to put the focus on domestic violence and everyday misogyny with her film, Thappad. “We are trying to question these things, ‘ek gaal pe thappad maaro, dusra gaal aage kar do’ and ‘thappad se dar nahi lagta’ with our film and want the audience to start questioning them as well,” she says.

The actor, along with Thappad director Anubhav Sinha, was a guest at Hindustan Times Imagine fest in Delhi on Sunday. As the two sat to talk about the film in a light mood, they remained firm on the message they are trying to drive home with Thappad.

On being asked if she has ever slapped a person in rage, Taapsee said, “I didn’t have the courage in the beginning, and when I got the courage, the human in me probably didn’t let me do that.”

Watch: Taapsee Pannu and Anubhav Sinha talk about Thappad at HT Imagine fest

Taapsee claims she is unlike her character in the film, Amrita. Talking about why she needed to shed her firebrand image for the film, she said, “Our effort was to get rid of the firebrand image in the film to make sure that Amrita stands out and you don’t see Taapsee in her. Because that what sets us apart. Amrita is a strong woman but not a firebrand. I am more of an impulsive person who would retort immediately, Amrita would not. People should forget that about me while watching Thappad.”

Tapsee saw four releases last year, just like her Mission Mangal co-star Akshay Kumar. She is often referred to as Ayushmann Khurrana or Akshay Kumar of actresses for her variety of characters and the number of Bollywood releases in a year. But the actor doesn’t like to be compared with a male benchmark.

Also read: Anubhav Sinha: ‘There are some who threaten to slash my throat, I say ‘You cut mine, I will cut yours’

On being asked by Anubhav Sinha if she would like to be compared to Sridevi instead, she said, “I am very scared of that kind of responsibility of being Sridevi or Madhuri. Let me only be Taapsee. I don’t want to be measured by a man’s success. They are wonderful people, I have worked with them, deservingly successful. Please let me feel I deserve my success without comparing me to these men.”

Also read: Thappad movie review: Taapsee Pannu film is a scorching indictment of everything that’s wrong with us

Besides Thappad, Taapsee will also be seen in her first sports biopic -- Shabaash Mithu. She will be seen stepping into the shoes of one of former Indian cricketer Mithali Raj for the latter’s biopic and says, “I will do my job, I will give my 110% to it. Rest is up to you people. Will you receive it the way you received Dhoni - The Untold Story? Let’s see.”

(Author tweets @ruchik87)

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