Taapsee Pannu Looks Back At 2020, Ahead At 2021

2020 was  no doubt the worst year  we’ve seen. How did  the year treat you?

No doubt 2020  was one of the worst years we’ve seen . That  was  true worldwide. Other than that, the very fact that we’ve survived 2020 is reason to feel positive.So much worse could have  happened. But it didn’t. So I’d  rather  look at  the half-full glass.

Your biggest takeaway of 2020?

My biggest takeaway  of the year was  to value  the present, to live every moment  that has been gifted to us , rather than make plans  for the future  because no matter how much you plan, there is no guarantee  about the future. So just live your life to the fullest  at  this  moment. Do not invest too much in the  future. I always believed  too much planning  about one’s life and goals is very frustrating. This year reinstated my belief in living in the present.

So  no plans for 2021?

 Not anything that is not my hands. I’d like to make sure that I make the  best  of every moment I have, in my professional and  personal life.

Thappad  proved  quite a triumph for  you?

Yes, Thappad  was  good kickstart of the year  for me. I  was  very happy as  I  had  really good projects  to follow as well. The pandemic cut short  all my plans. The theatrical  run  of Thappad  was also cut short.  Nonethless I feel proud  to be part of a film that will be remembered  for years.It was one of the most talked-about  films of the year. Movies come  and  go. Very few are  talked about much longer than  their lifespan on screen. Thappad is one of them. For me the quality of my filmography is more  important than the quantity.

What  is  your  main focus for the coming  year?

That my selection of films  and quality  of my  performance should get better every year, at least that ‘s what  I’m  striving to do. I hope the audience feels the same way. Every year I try to push  the envelope a little more. I   learn  something new  from all my films.And I try to implement that  knowledge  in my subsequent films. This   has helped me  grow  as an actor. I want the audiences’ faith in the films that I select to grow stronger  . I want the audience to have faith  in my  choices as an actor. They should feel whatever  I  take up is worth their time attention and money.

What do you feel about the growth  of  the  OTT platform in 2020?

There is  a definite shift  in  the profile of the audience, The  audience that  goes to see films in theatres  is different  from those who see films at home. Films made for  B and C centres for  theatres when released on OTT would obviously not get the same response. The  focus  on OTT is on content-driven  films. It’s an interesting shift. A   new  star-hierarchy will emerge   if the  OTT continues  to dominate.

Do you like watching films on  your phone?

I’d like to get back to theatres as soon as possible. I am waiting to  get back to the old normal and leave  behind this new  normal. I miss the ‘normal’ that  existed pre-pandemic .However  I must say the OTT has  given a  chance  to so many talented actors  whom we would  not have seen so much  of otherwise. The  OTT  is helping  new talent to grow.

Which are your favourite  performances  of 2020?

Like  every year there is  a bunch  of  outstanding performances. I really liked some  of  what I saw on  OTT. Maybe I am biased, but I really cried while watching Irrfan Sir (Khan)  in  Angrezi Medium. That fact I wouldn’t see more of him , hit me hard.Abrupt  departures  are always shocking. When the news of Rishi Sir(Kapoor)   going came , it wouldn’t sink in. We were in a  lockdown . It felt unreal.I felt when I will come out of my  home I will meet him .As it was I was not meeting anyone.Everyone existed virtually. So it felt like he was out there.I had worked   in two films with Rishi Sir. I had  never met Sushant  Singh Rajput  or worked with Irrfan Sir.

If  you had a wish what would  it be?

 To live  a normal life, and not just the life of a movie actor. I want to  have a personal life that is as  satisfying as  my career.I do take out time for family friends holidays. So far  I’ve been   able to strike the  right  balance between  my professional  and personal life. I keep them so  far apart that they can never interfere with one another.

What are  your plans for 2021?

 Like I said I don’t  think  planning ahead  helps.  Having said that I would want to finish my pending assignments before I move on to signing new  projects.I am getting some really interesting  roles in some wonderful  projects. Believe me they are all so  good that  I don’t feel like saying no  even one  of them. Even though I  will be seen in a variety of films  trust me  none of them will be repetitive.I am just trying to accommodate  as  much as I can in my diary. I know when I look  back at  career I will be proud of it.