Aarti To Amrita: Five Remarkable Characters Taapsee Pannu Brought To Life

 Taapsee Pannu Powerful Performances : In over a decade long acting career, that began in the Southern film industry, Taapsee Pannu came to the fore as an actor who carved her own niche. Film by film, the 33-year-old became more visible to the audience along with delivering critically-acclaimed performances.

With the strong and engaging female leads the actor essayed has not only established her as a feminist actor on-screen but also changed the conventional idea of a female-led movies.

On her birthday, we revisited, some relatable and some inspiring, characters Taapsee Pannu brought to life on-screen.

Here are the powerful characters Taapsee Pannu left an impression on us: 

Aarti in Mulk

In the political-drama film directed by Anubhav Sinha, Taapsee essays the role of Aarti, a Hindu daughter-in-law in the Muslim household, who takes on a mission to re-claim the respect of the family. When the youngest son of the family, Shahid, based in Varanasi dies in an operation by anti-terrorist. The actor who plays the patriarch Murad Ali's daughter-in-law doubles up as the defence advocate standing as a shield against the traumatised family.

As the film progresses, Aarti transforms from a silent spectator to a protector voicing the ordeal of the community often considered outsiders. Pannu's presence on-screen rarely let's the audience shift the focus towards others.

Meenal in Pink

Pink, a court-room drama, keeps Amitabh Bachchan playing a lawyer as the hero the story defending three women embroiled in a case while protecting themselves. Rajveer, played by Angad Bedi, nephew of a powerful politician doesn't take no for an answer and sexually harasses Pannu's character Meenal.

In a act to protect herself she hits him with a bottle, however, the incident makes are a target of his friends who abduct and assault her, to teach Meenal a lesson. Although, threats and counter charges intended to s

Manmarziyaan

eed fear in her mind pushes the lead to stand by her deed. Meenal, like most girls, after being harassed and abused is also shamed as a victim.

Rumi in Manmarziyaan

One would agree that Rumi from the romance drama Manmarziyaan is a flawed character, however, what sets her apart is he owns her flaws. A rebellious woman who disagrees with limits and restrictions put on women in the society. In a film that explores layers of love and relationships, Taapsee's complex character too unravels layer by layer. The unapologetic woman in a romantic story brings a character that leads and does it fiercely.

Prakashi in Saand Ki Aankh

A film that presented the young actor as a 'shooter dadi' did become a subject of criticism for the choice but Pannu's performance, sort of, makes you skip that aspect. As Prakashi Tomar, in the film inspired from a true story of ageing champion sharpshooters, the actor dons a character fighting against the Indian (proudly) patriarchal society for her dreams. The film is an ode to every woman who took on the challenges set by patriarchal beliefs to pave the way for the future generations of women.

Amrita in Thappad

The latest performance by the actor would possibly go down as one of her best. In the Anubhav Sinha directorial, Pannu essays the role of Amrita, a woman happily handling the responsibilities of a wife, daughter and daughter-in-law. However, she realises that, gradually, she became a person who has confined herself to those role rather than being her own person.

In middle of an intense arguement with his colleague his husband slaps Amrita, she sees the people around her advising her to move on. Despite the least support she establishes the fact that assault, be it reccuring or once, counts as assault.