‘I take that leap of faith’

Taapsee Pannu talks about why she stays away from certain types of films

Over the years, Taapsee Pannu has carved a unique space for herself in Hindi cinema by consistently backing stories led by strong female protagonists. At a time when women-centric films were often considered commercially risky, the actress chose to take the unconventional route, delivering acclaimed performances in films such as Pink, Thappad, Saand Ki Aankh, Badla, Haseen Dillruba, Mulk, and several others. 

Her filmography reflects a conscious effort to champion content-driven cinema over formulaic choices. 

Reflecting on her journey, she said, “The credit that I give to myself is to take the plunge into doing something that people conventionally do not think commercially viable. So, I am not falling into the trap of making my every venture commercially viable on paper.” 

She added, “I take that leap of faith believing that it will be a good product and my audiences will receive it the way I have seen it. That is the credit that I would like to take. Apart from that, it is the credit that the audience, the makers, and the crew, everyone needs to take together. But, yes, as actors you need to take that leap of faith.”

The actress emphasised that while audiences often credit actors for the success of such films, meaningful change is always a collective effort involving filmmakers, writers, producers, technicians, and viewers who choose to support these stories. At the same time, she believes actors have a responsibility to trust unconventional scripts and back projects that challenge industry norms.

With a career built on bold choices rather than safe bets, Taapsee continues to be one of Bollywood’s strongest advocates for content-first cinema.