Taapsee Pannu has never pretended the “big film” lane comes easily to her. If anything, she has built her career by leaning into stories that demand more conviction than glamour, often choosing roles driven by grit, justice, and emotional fallout. So when she landed a spot in Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki, she did not frame it as luck. She called it something far more personal, a gift she feels she earned the hard way.
In a recent interview, the actor opened up about how she views her journey through the industry and why a mainstream collaborator like Dunki feels rare in her filmography, even a decade into her Hindi career.
Taapsee Pannu On Why Dunki Felt Like A “Gift”
Speaking about the Rajkumar Hirani directed Dunki, Taapsee underlined how unusual it is for her to be considered for a high profile commercial film. “A film like Dunki is difficult to get for someone like me because I’m not some commercial, mainstream, viable heroine. I got it because that role probably needed someone like me. That’s what I’ve been told. That’s because I did films like Assi and Gandhari before. This is what’s given me my space and identity in the industry. So, this is my reality. Dunki is a gift I get for these 10 years. I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to get another one.”
She also addressed the persistent perception battle that follows her, insisting she has always had range, even if the industry tends to slot her into one mould. “It’s a struggle because they still have to come to terms with, ‘Oh, we have to show her all glammed up.’ I started my career in South with massy films. I started my Hindi career with David Dhawan. It doesn’t get more commercial and in-your-face like that. Then I’ve worked with Anubhav Sinha and Anurag Kashyap. It’s very crazy choices of directors. I can do this and that.”
Taapsee summed up her relationship with her audience in a line that feels like her career thesis. “I know what gave me a certain audience. It might be small, but I’m glad I’ve earned those people’s trust. Not every actress can have that privilege. So, this is my home ground.”
Taapsee Pannu’s Recent And Upcoming Work
Taapsee was last seen in Anubhav Sinha’s courtroom drama Assi, which released in theatres on February 20, 2026, with Kani Kusruti playing a rape survivor as Taapsee steps into a lawyer’s role yet again. Before that, 2024 saw her headline the Netflix sequel Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, bringing back Rani Kashyap in Kanika Dhillon’s pulp thriller world, and feature in the theatrical ensemble entertainer Khel Khel Mein.
On the horizon, she has Gandhari, a Netflix action thriller written by Kanika Dhillon, with Taapsee set to play “a fierce mom on a mission.” The film is backed by Netflix and Kathha Pictures, with an official release date yet to be announced.
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