Taapsee Pannu is a rare celebrity who knows how to hold her ground high and tight. As she braces for her three major releases in 2021, on Taapsee Pannu’s birthday, this is an appreciation post for the wonder woman of the industry.
In a tough workplace like Bollywood, the young actress has managed to hold her own from day one. She has never been one to mince her words and does not conform to the mechanisms of the way the Hindi film industry functions.
With the huge platform she has earned for herself, comes big responsibilities. And boy, she lives up to every bit of it. She is fierce, feisty, unapologetic and subtle. No matter how much we say about Taapsee Pannu, it’s not going to be enough.
I mean, isn’t that what we want in a ‘Youth Icon’- to be unabashedly direct and address issues that need attention? But how did she become this feisty woman, having come from a completely non-Bollywood background? On Taapsee Pannu’s birthday, let’s have a look at her journey over the years.
What Makes Her Special Is That She Is One Of Us!
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Taapsee Pannu movies’ career graph is interesting. What makes us so in awe of her is that she could be any of us. Coming from a humble background, she studied engineering in Delhi, and like any girl next door, she had no idea she would be doing films one day, let alone be a star!
She then went on to work in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam films before finally stepping into Bollywood. Oh, and she has managed to stake her claim to fame without having to dance around trees, like ever!
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The Roles Played By Taapsee Pannu In Movies Define Her
Taapsee brilliantly portrays the present-day woman’s aspirations and how they are in direct conflict with our conservative social values. Most of her films, with their modern screenplay and relevant themes, strike a chord with the urban youth.
There is an Instagram trend going on – tell us something without actually saying it. If the same were to apply for actress Taapsee Pannu, her smart choice of roles would do all the talking for her. Think of a smart, woke, never seen before, strong female character in Bollywood, and in all probability, this wonder girl would be seen acing it!
For an industry where female characters have been reduced to romancing male leads and dancing around trees for years, actress Taapsee Pannu surely is the face of change. Thanks to her, strong, feminist, opinionated female characters are no longer considered as ‘parallel cinema’.
Taapsee Pannu films have always resonated with the audience on another level. The first film that I saw where she played the lead role was Pink. She worked alongside the megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the film. And I was so pleasantly surprised.
Working with and sharing the same frame with the greatest superstar of the country and still holding ground and giving a performance par excellence is not an easy task. But trust Taapsee Pannu to ace every role that she takes on!
She came out shining with her brilliant performance. The movie revolves around a girl who, if simply put, just challenged the ways society perceives women when they make their own choices, out of CONSENT!
This film was very contemporary in its choice of storyline and also highlighted the problems young independent Indian women, especially the ones living away from home, face every single day.
The film went on to become a hit for the sensitive issues it touched, and Taapsee particularly got a lot of praise for her portrayal of Minal, who voiced what every woman has been trying to say for ages – no means no!
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From women’s issues to politics
While Pink was about women’s changing role in India, another one of Taapsee Pannu films Mulk had a strong religious and political message. It walks us into the home of a typical Muslim family and forces us to confront our irrational prejudices against them.
Actress Taapsee Pannu was appreciated for her role as a sane voice of reason. She asked questions about humanity and why we link all acts of terrorism to the Muslim community.
Through this film, she holds up a mirror to our society and questions our behavior. Taapsee was perfect for her role as the family member who goes to court to save her family. She is depicted as unsure of herself and lacking confidence in her ability. But her resolution and conviction rule through the film.
Taapsee in an interview said, “There are a lot of things we keep shoving under the carpet. But I want to address these issues.”
Both these films did generate a lot of controversy but the positive point was that they succeeded in triggering discussions and debates about the changing viewpoints of the new generation.
Taapsee wants to create an opinion
Thanks to the Internet and globalization, our country is going through a time where it has to deal with a lot of diversity and differences of opinion. Taapsee is not just another pretty face in Bollywood and she has proven that time and again.
Over the years, she has addressed the pay disparity based on genders, the box office collections of a woman-centric film vs a commercial film, the paparazzi culture that has gained tremendous momentum in the last few years, to the point of being maddening!
Taapsee Pannu is on a mission
Half of our country’s population is below the age of 25. This demographic is our most valuable asset in these times of social and technological changes. Tapsee represents young India like no other celebrity of our times. Taapsee’s birthday is the perfect occasion to appreciate her for the amazing woman she is!
She is the perfect ambassador of a generation that is smart and ambitious and wants greater independence in their decision-making powers. They are eager to pursue their goals, yet, as Taapsee points out to us, various factors prevent them from achieving their full potential.
She has given us the message that our ability to hear out our youth to help them meet their aspirations is crucial. The Mission Mangal star is on a personal mission for the greater good of the youth.
Happy Birthday Taapsee, you bona fide rockstar!
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