12 January,2026 08:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee Pannu has come a long way in her career, but the journey wasn't without self-doubt and insecurities. The actress opened up about the early days when she questioned her looks, style, and even her ability to be a heroine. She admitted struggling to deal with insecurities. She also recalled how she was advised to work alongside A-listers to get more work.
In an interview with Zoom TV, Taapsee talked about the insecurities she had about her beauty. "I wish I didn't feel like I don't look like the biggest divas around, so mujhe koi heroine kyun banayega (why will someone make me the heroine)? But that's not the only quality required to be a heroine. I didn't have basic fashion sense, makeup sense, or even know what my best angle was - nothing," she said.
She recalled how she "butchered" herself every day, thinking she wasn't good enough. "I wish I didn't take such a beating to learn all this in the first few years. I learnt everything eventually, but the amount of beating I gave myself - it tired me mentally. I wish I wouldn't have felt that way and just enjoyed the process of learning. That is one thing I really hope someone told me," she added.
The Haseen Dilruba actress also recalled how she believed in everything she was told initially in her career. "I believed everything. I had no reason not to believe them. They were all senior people, more experienced people, telling me that heroines have a shelf life of 5-6 years. You only have to act opposite big stars, no matter how much older they are than you. To be the A-lister, you have to just act opposite big A-lister heroes. It doesn't matter what your role is."
"Of course, I was told not to have any affairs or relationships while becoming a heroine. Because once you start dating someone, people will not look at you in the same aspirational light. You are only a desirable heroine if they feel you are single and available. They also told me not to do any negative roles or grey-shade characters, because you become a vamp."
On the work front, Taapsee will next be seen in Gandhari, a revenge drama directed by Devashish Makhija and backed by Kanika Dhillon's Katha Pictures. The film is set to premiere on Netflix.
