W W W. C A R A S I N D I A . C O M
The girl who never dreamt about acting rose to fame and now stands out as one of the biggest talents of her generation
TAAPSEE: AN OUTSIDER WHO SKYROCKETED TO STARDOM IN BOLLYWOOD
“I never thought I could be an actor, as I was always a studious geek and was always interested in mathematics”
TAAPSEE’S INSPIRING JOURNEY TO SUCCESS HE FORMER COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT PAVES HER WAY AS AN ACTRESS
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rom Jhummandi Naadam to Rashmi Rocket, Taapsee Pannu’s journey as an actor inspires everyone. We have come across several ‘outsiders’ who have made their mark in Bollywood and from Shah Rukh Khan to Deepika Padukone, every actor has a story to tell. But Taapsee’s is an unconventional tale. Why, you ask? While other top stars have often confessed about their dream to make it big in the
“I don’t regret my decisions. Even if I made mistakes, they helped me evolve” movies, Taapsee, on the other hand, has spoken about how she never wanted to be an actor. Surprised? So are we. The reason being that for someone who is self admittedly straightforward, imitating others on screen seemed too fake. After her school, the brilliant student that she was, Taapsee pursued Computer Science Engineering from the Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology in New Delhi.
Her father, Dilmohan Singh Pannu is a real estate agent and her mother Nirmaljeet Pannu is a homemaker. She has a younger sister, Shagun Pannu.
What makes the diva ‘unconventional’ among her counterparts is her choice of scripts and making it believable to the T onscreen. But this has something to do with her real-life persona as well. The actress has often stated that she loves experimenting with and discovering what others think is impossible by her. And this is precisely why one fine day, a Computer Science student decided to try her hand at modelling. Not just that, at the tender age of 20, with the same conviction, she decided to attend the most prominent beauty pageant in the country Femina Miss India. Taapsee won two titles, ‘Femina Miss Fresh Face’ and ‘Femina Miss Beautiful Skin’ at the contest. She continued modelling but lost interest as she did not receive the recognition she wished to receive. Born into a Punjabi family, the Badla star was brought up in Delhi. For an aspiring actor, it is obvious to head to Mumbai in
“As a child, I wanted to be an astronaut, then a fighter pilot. I never thought I could be an actor”
“Though my parents have seen me in all possible avatars, my extended family has been excited since the time they’ve gotten to know that ‘Manmarziyaan’ is a story based in Amritsar”
the hopes of seeing their dreams take form. However, hers is a different story. After being selected for Channel V’s talent show ‘Get Gorgeous’, she was approached to make her acting debut in the Telugu romantic musical Jhummandi Naadam. Always wanting to try something new, Taapsee accepted the offer. She later found a liking for her new profession and accepted more offers that came her way. However, it is director Vetrima aran’s National Award-winning film Aadukalam that put her under the spotlight. Critics and audiences praised Taapsee’s performance as the Anglo-Indian Irene Claude, and she went on to star in several films across the South Indian industries. The former model’s first film in her mother-tongue ‘Hindi’ was the 2013 comedy flick Chashme Baddoor. But it is her 2016 release, Pink, which finally got her some universal recognition. Taapsee played
The actress loves to spend time at the home she bought. She resorts to yoga practice in her balcony to help her reconnect with her true self.
Minal, a girl who fights a Politician’s nephew who molested her. Her nuanced performance became a turning point in her career, leading her to more female-oriented films. Her filmography from 2016 until now is the perfect example of how an actress can seamlessly carry a movie on her shoulder. Soorma, Mulk, Manmarziyaan and Thappad were female-oriented and rooted films that
“Post ‘Pink,’ I figured out which direction I wanted my career to take” showed reality without farce. It would be safe to say that it takes an expert performer to pull off these characters that Taapsee did with panache. Taapsee has never gone on record to reveal about her relationships. However, reports suggest that the Rocket girl has been dating Danish Badminton star Mathias Boe for many years now. The two also post cute pictures of each other on social
media. On her birthday, Mathias posted an adorable picture, and the caption hinted that they are indeed a couple. His post read, “Happy birthday you crazy little creature, damn we r getting old fast, especially. Can’t believe how lucky I’m that I found someone who doesn’t find me too annoying and (sometimes) laugh at my lame jokes. I will try
“We have to jump into the competition and prove ourselves every moment”
Taapsee often says that as an individual, she has no fear of failure... and she thinks that translates on-screen in her performances.
“What matters is how good you are in the screen space you get”
my hardest to keep u smiling.” Now, isn’t that a lovely declaration of love? Considering the fame and popularity that come an actor’s way, they are always privy to nasty comments and trolls. While most weak-hearted people might retreat to their shells, Taapsee graciously hits back when she comes across one. Recently, pointing at a poster of her Rocket Rashmi, a troll insensitively called Taapsee ‘masculine’. But giving herself credit
“When I started shooting for Rashmi Rocket, I thought my body couldn’t take it anymore. I had to stop the shoot for a while, just to be able to walk”
and taking this comment as a compliment, Taapsee had the most dignified response. She said, “All I will say is…. Just remember this line and wait for 23rd September. And advance mein, THANK YOU. I really worked hard for this compliment.” Taapsee has admitted that she considers acting her job and she strongly believes in living a life beyond the movies. A sportsperson since childhood, Taapsee en-
“I love to travel. When I travel I realise I’m a nobody. It gives you a reality check”
“Travelling has been my only refuel for years. Travelling helps me relax, get back on my feet and be in the right mind space”
joys playing squash during her off days. She also alternates between working out in the gym and outdoors and considers it the best way to rejuvenate herself both mentally and physically. The gorgeous actress shifted to her new home in Mumbai along with her sister Shagun Pannu. Her new abode is luxurious and has a European vibe with classy aesthetics. The successful actress runs an event management company
Once a model, Taapsee says It helps her rejuvenate when she uses her energy in different directions and then come back to acting.
called The Wedding Factory along with her sister Shagun. She also owns the badminton franchise Pune 7 Aces. Taapsee also recently launched her production house Outsiders Films, along with Pranjal Khandhdiya. Talking about the same, she had said, “Pranjal and I both come
“I didn’t want to date within the industry. I want to keep my personal and professional lives separate” from humble backgrounds. That’s why the name Outsiders Films clicked with us. We aim to produce meaningful, entertaining, and quality content.” Ever since Pink, the diva has been on a roll. She has an exciting lineup of films in her kitty and that includes Looop Lapeta, Dobaaraa, Blurr and Shabaash Mitthu. l