She gave several critically acclaimed performances in films such as Pink (2016), Naam Shabana (2017) and Mulk (2018), but never knew that would be at the risk of getting typecast. And now, actor Taapsee Pannu has made a conscious decision to not do something, which would put her in any sort of a bracket.

“I get a lot of offers for action films, or stories that revolve around a molested woman or a rape victim. But, I don’t take them up as a rule. You can’t keep doing the same thing again and again and spoil the sanctity of what you did. Unless it is taking me notch higher, I’ll not repeat myself,” says Taapsee, who was seen in Badla and Game Over earlier this year.

However, Taapsee maintains it wasn’t the case with her and she was “never desperate” to take up work just to be visible. “Being an accidental actor, I was never desperate to take up roles just to have some screen presence. It was not a ‘be all and end all’ of my life. The fear that ‘if I don’t do films, where will the money come from’ was never there. Thus, I didn’t take decisions that I would have later regretted,” says the actor, adding that she “patiently waited for the right opportunity”.

With two more projects Tadka and Thappad in her kitty, Taapsee shares that not everyone is offered meaty roles. “Every actor goes through the struggle of getting good roles. When your first film works, it is always a beginners’ luck, but then starts the real struggle. And after that, one has to really prove themselves,” she says.

To be next seen in Mission Mangal and Saand Ki Aankh, The 31-year-old feels “it’s very easy for people to typecast actors because many of them, who don’t have an option, find it difficult to say ‘no’ to similar kind of work coming their way”.

An established name in the south cinema, Taapsee’s struggle began after her Bollywood debut Chashme Baddoor (2013) when she was still figuring out what kind of films she wants to do. “I was being patient waiting and choosing offers and even going out there asking for what I really wanted to do. For instance, for Baby (2015), I approached the director and asked if he can cast me for the role I was keen to do. Fortunately, Pink came my way,” she shares.