Even as Taapsee Pannu, one of the most acclaimed Indian film actresses we have currently, wins accolades for her role in the Anubhav Sinha directed Thappad, she states that it wasn’t easy for her to portray the character of Amrita in the film.

“Amrita is too white, I am all shades of grey. She is in control [of her emotions] and lets things seep in, whereas I am impulsive. So, it was claustrophobic to play her for 30 days in a row. I was stifled because the character was not giving it back until the puja scene. I had to shed the image of a firebrand and cater to an average Indian woman who is conditioned to place others before herself,” Pannu told Midday India in an interview.

While talking about her role, she also spoke about how the character of the husband in the film was beautifully portrayed simply because it was so layered.

“It’s a no-brainer to leave a man who hits his wife all the time. [In contrast] Vikram does everything right, but he doesn’t feel the need to apologise [for the slap]. This film is about entitlement and relationships. Normalising patriarchy is wrong, and men and women are equally responsible. Which is why the female lawyer asking her to move on is a crucial scene,” she added.

The actress shared an anecdote where, at a screening, a middle-aged woman had stated that Amrita was taking things too far. Pannu had asked her if she would have said the same thing if the husband (Vikram) had hit his father. The woman didn’t have an answer.