When Vidya Balan told Thappad actor Pavail Gulati, ‘I hate you; and I hate myself for liking you in the end’

Actor Vidya Balan called up Pavail Gulati, the male lead in Taapsee Pannu’s Thappad, to congratulate him on his performance. She also expressed her true feelings for the character. In an interview to Mid Day, Pavail said how this would count as one of his most cherished feedbacks of the film.

He said, “I had goosebumps while talking to her. She said, ‘I hate you; and I hate myself for liking you in the end’.” Pavail plays Taapsee’s otherwise loving husband, who in a fit of rage, slaps her. Their relationship never remains the same after that as Taapsee’s character, a loving housewife, simply can’t accept the changed equation between them and decides to walk out on him.

However, in chalking out the character, Pavail’s Vikram isn’t made out to be a villain of the piece. Speaking about his character, Pavail said, “Vikram was a layered character. Sir (director Anubhav Sinha) wanted him to [come across] as a nice guy so that he could be related to. We wanted people to hate him, but also sympathise with him.”

Thappad, braving the early days of coronavirus outbreak in India, managed to make ₹30.53 crores. The film saw its bit of controversy when Baaghi 3 director Ahmed Khan said that he found the concept of Thappad ‘strange’. Answering a question at his film Baaghi 3’s promotions, he had reportedly said, “I found the concept of Thappad very strange. I don’t understand just because the husband slapped his wife, will she leave him forever? If she has a problem, she too should slap her husband twice in return.” Taapsee, on being asked about it, said she did not feel the need to respond.

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Subsequently, a media report that mocked the film’s run at the box office also became controversial. According to the trade website koimoi.com, Thappad collected ₹22.79 crore in its first week, and a web portal reported the film’s box office show saying: “Audience gives TIGHT SLAP To #Thappad.” This led to the film’s director Anubhav Sinha heaping abuse. He later apologised for bad choice of words.

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