As Pink completes ten years, the film continues to stand out as one of the most defining choices in Taapsee Pannu’s career.
At the time, Taapsee was already creating curiosity with the diverse characters she was taking on in Hindi cinema. Following Baby, there was considerable anticipation around what she would choose next, with the actor herself acknowledging the pressure to find a project that could take her a step ahead.
Taapsee recalls, “After Baby, there was a lot of pressure on me about what I was going to do next. In the first few Hindi films that I did, there was so much versatility in the characters I played that people were always curious about what I would take up next. There was this pressure that my next project had to be really good, and one step ahead of Baby. So, when Pink came my way, I heard the script and immediately found it interesting.”
The Delhi setting was another incentive for Taapsee. “The film was set in Delhi, and the makers had seen my work, so they called me and asked if I would be interested in doing it. Interestingly, they also asked me whether I thought a film like this should be made. As an audience member, I said, “Definitely.” Being a girl from Delhi, I genuinely wondered why nobody was making a film about an issue like this. So, when they asked me, I said, “Yes, why not?” I very authoritatively said, “Only I will do this film now.” And the rest is in front of you.”
Taapsee considers Pink the turning point in her career in Hindi cinema.She never thought it would become such an important film. When she heard script she knew it was a significant step ahead for women’s empowerment in Hindi cinema . Being a Delhi girl and since it was the story set in Delhi girls, Taapsee was sure she wanted to be part of Pink . “Because of the people involved I knew Pink would be special. But I never knew it would be so revolutionary .At that time I didn’t even know Mr Bachchan was going to be part of Pink.”
The ‘No Means No’ line became an anthem for women’s safety.
Says Taapsee, “At that time when we were shooting we all knew there was something very significant about those three words. We never knew it would be so resonant, we didn’t knew it would become an anthem.”
