I feel the term hero has no gender and I’m trying to prove that, says Taapsee Pannu

In an industry where only male actors are called heroes, Taapsee Pannu says her aim is to break this gender-based stereotype and she plans to do so slowly and steadily.

The 31-year-old actor believes the acceptance for female-centric films from both the industry and audience can help bridge the gap between male and female actors being successful at the box office. “I feel hero has no gender and I am trying to prove that. We have, for so many years, fed our audience that hero is a gender-based term and they have also accepted that.

“Like Game Over was a dark film. It did not have a regular entertainment quotient like a song or a comedy scene or anything. It is not visually that easily an attractive film but it got good response. Such films require a certain kind of trust from the audience,” she said.

Saying that she’s choosing her projects wisely, Taapsee added, “I am not giving up easily and not succumbing to this pressure that I have to do a certain kind of films to make sure I am saleable. I am ready to push the boundary in every way possible.

“I can’t change my choice just because it doesn’t fall into the conventional formula. I am ok to have my own audience but an audience that believes in my choice of films.”  Taapsee’s other two releases this year are Mission Mangal and Saand Ki Aankh. The actor is also working on a Tamil action thriller.