Unconventional films can’t survive without audience support: Taapsee Pannu

The first time Taapsee Pannu worked with Anubhav Sinha was in 2018 for ‘Mulk’ and she had, of course, read the script before saying yes. By the time the director approached her for ‘Thappad’ in 2020, she trusted him enough to agree even when he had only discussed the idea before the script had fully taken shape. When Sinha came to her with ‘Assi’, their third collaboration, Taapsee didn’t even think about what was in the script.

“I knew it would be good. For ‘Assi’, I was game for whatever he was making,” she said. Beyond professional trust, their bond has evolved into a personal one. “We know what the other person is capable of. There’s a comfort zone,” she added.

Like many actresses in Bollywood, Taapsee began her journey with masala films. However, it did not take her long to recognise her responsibility as an actor. She went on to be part of important films such as ‘Baby’, ‘Pink’, ‘Mulk’, ‘Mission Mangal’, ‘Thappad’, ‘Rashmi Rocket’ and ‘Assi’. While she continued doing mainstream entertainment, she also emerged as a strong voice for women on the big screen. Her performance in ‘Pink’ foregrounded a woman’s right to consent and choices. ‘Assi’, meanwhile, delves into rape culture, the failure of the judicial system and the uncomfortable truths society and the justice system impose on survivors. Taapsee feels a sense of responsibility as an actor to contribute meaningfully, but she also urges audiences to do their part.

“‘Pink’ was about consent. I feel ‘Assi’ begins where ‘Pink’ ended. Over the last decade, audiences have seen several films addressing sexual misconduct. It’s no longer as new or eye-opening as when we first discussed virginity and consent in ‘Pink’. Today, you can expect mainstream cinema to touch upon rape. But a film like ‘Assi’ examines rape and questions society’s complicity. In that sense, it may be the first of its kind because it’s not about investigating who committed the crime; you see that immediately. That’s not the problem. It’s not about why the police couldn’t arrive in time. The police can only reach after the crime has occurred. Judgment can only be delivered after the crime has happened,” said the ‘Dunki’ and ‘Shabaash Mithu’ actress.

Taapsee was recently in Kolkata with Cannes winner Kani Kusruti, known for ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and the film’s director, for a special screening of ‘Assi’. She mentioned that the film questions whether justice and judgment are truly the same. Those who would watch the film are likely to recall the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder, widely known as the Nirbhaya case, in which a 23-year-old student was gangraped on a moving bus. In ‘Assi’, Kani’s character is gangraped in a moving car and later thrown onto railway tracks. Nirbhaya became a symbol of India’s fight against sexual violence. Yet, 14 years later, Taapsee believes little has changed regarding crime against women.

“How many articles about sexual assault do we read every day in newspapers and how many of them receive justice?” she asked.

She is, however, encouraged that conversations around sexual misconduct have increased. “I think and this isn’t based on data, so I could be wrong, the younger generation is talking more about it. The platforms for such discussions have also expanded. But are we using them enough for these issues? Are we using social media responsibly? The media often asks me about an actor’s responsibility. I’m doing my bit with films like ‘Mulk’, ‘Thappad’ and ‘Assi’. Is the audience doing theirs by watching such films?” said the actress, who is married to former Danish badminton player Mathias Boe and can speak Danish.

Taapsee, who plays a lawyer in ‘Assi’, urged audiences at the screening to watch the film in theatres. She admitted she feels disappointed when people immediately ask which OTT platform the film will stream on. According to her, OTT platforms were initially meant to promote and showcase unconventional, hard-hitting subjects like ‘Assi’.

“The purpose of OTT has changed. Mandates have changed. It is difficult for unconventional films to survive if audiences don’t wake up. I don’t believe films like ‘Assi’ lack an audience. My concern is the complacency toward such cinema. These are the same people who criticise mediocre films. But do they go to theatres to watch unconventional, non-mainstream subjects? As audiences, we must use our voice to support films that truly need it,” said Taapsee, who also expressed the desire to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Among her many beloved characters, one that remains close to her heart is Rani Kashyap in ‘Haseen Dillruba’. Both parts of the film have been major OTT successes. When asked whether her character will return for a third instalment, she revealed, much to fans’ delight, that writer Kanika Dhillon is currently working on it.