Actress Taapsee Pannu, who has given a new identity to women-centric cinema with her powerful acting in Hindi cinema, is known for her outspoken statements. Taapsee, who has proved her mettle in successful films like 'Pink', 'Thappad', 'Badla' and 'Haseen Dilruba', has recently spoken openly about the methods of getting work in Bollywood. Taapsee has exposed the inner truth of the industry, which mainstream stars usually shy away from talking about.
During a recent interview, Taapsee clearly said that if anyone thinks that only on the basis of excellent acting ability or talent, one will get lead roles in big budget commercial Hindi films, then this is the biggest misconception. According to Taapsee, the mechanism of commercial success in the cinema world and being a part of films of big production houses works on completely different rules, where other factors prevail more than merit.
Taapsee explained in detail that in independent or content-driven films, the criteria for casting may be your performance and your ability to get into the character, but in mainstream big-budget cinema (commercial potboilers), the equation completely changes. There it does not matter much how experienced an artist you are, rather it is seen how your social networking is, in which camps or influential circles you hang out and with whom you have good relations.
Taapsee told that in big banner masala films, the roles of heroines are often decided on the basis of how easily she gets along with the director, lead actor or producer. Many times there is not even the formality of audition or screen test, rather roles are decided through parties, informal meetings and recommendations. Artists who do not become a part of this social game or PR drift, no matter how talented they are, are thrown out of the race for these big projects.
Taapsee Pannu has traveled from South Film Industry to Bollywood without any godfather. Recalling the experiences of his early days, he said that on many occasions he was replaced from films at the last moment without giving any concrete reason. When he tried to find out the reason for this, it came to light that the role was given to someone else due to the recommendation of a big star or pressure from someone close to him.
Taapsee says that when an outsider comes into the industry, it takes years for him to understand what is the real methodology of getting work. He said that unless you prove yourself consistently and build a credible reputation at the box office, you do not have the right to be selected. This is the reason why he started choosing such films where the story was the hero and in which the female characters were not seen on screen merely as showpieces.
Taapsee clarified that when she realized that she had limited space in traditional commercial films with big stars and her talent was not being utilized properly there, she changed her strategy. He chose unconventional stories, where the responsibility of the entire film was on his shoulders. Films like 'Mulk', 'Saand Ki Aankh' and 'Rashmi Rocket' proved that audiences can be drawn to theaters on the basis of content.
She said that she no longer holds any grudge against this system, because every industry has its own rules. But new artists should not be under the illusion that just doing acting classes or theater will open doors directly. To survive in the industry, it is most essential to have mental strength, unwavering faith in oneself and immense ability to withstand rejection. After this statement of Taapsee, discussions regarding insider vs outsider and merit based casting have once again intensified in social media and film industry.