Taapsee Pannu has opened up about the stark gender imbalance she encountered at the beginning of her acting career, recalling a time when she was the only woman across the cast and crew on her debut film set. Speaking at a session organised by WIF India and Kathha Pictures on women driving Indian cinema, the actor described the isolation and uncomfortable situations she experienced during her early days in the industry. Reflecting on how film sets have evolved over the years, Taapsee said her first experience had left her wondering whether being surrounded almost entirely by men was simply the norm in the industry.
Taapsee Pannu recalls being the only woman on her debut film set
Taapsee recalled that she was given a plastic chair in a corner of the set when she began shooting for her first film. With no personal staff at the time, she was accompanied only by a spot boy assigned by the producer, as reported by Bollywood Hungama.“In my first film, I was the only female on the set, across the cast and crew. I was given a plastic chair, a typical set chair, in one corner. It felt like nobody would come and talk to me or sit with me,” she said.The actor admitted that, as a newcomer, she initially assumed that this was simply how film sets functioned.“Since it was my debut movie, I didn’t really have a staff. I just had a spot boy that was assigned by the producer. He would also awkwardly stand behind me. It was my first ever experience on a set. In my head, I thought this is how a set is and will always be. Most of the sets initially looked like this, where I was probably the only female,” she added.
Taapsee recalls uncomfortable moments during shoots
Taapsee also spoke about some of the awkward situations she encountered while performing scenes on predominantly male sets. She recalled instances where cameramen or focus pullers would be positioned close to her during shots without appearing mindful of how their behaviour could make the situation uncomfortable.“There have been some weird situations where you are performing while lying down on the floor. It’ll be a trolley shot and there will be a focus puller or cameraman sitting on the trolley. And you would see them scratching here and there on their body! It would get very odd for me to see or experience that,” she said.The experiences made Taapsee question just how unusual her position was at the time.“It used to make me wonder, ‘Am I really such a minority here?’. I have had these kinds of odd experiences,” the actor recalled.
Taapsee Pannu highlights gender differences on film sets
The actor also pointed to differences in how male and female actors are treated when it comes to reporting times, accommodation and transportation.According to Taapsee, actresses are often expected to arrive significantly earlier than their male co-stars, even when they are shooting at the same location.“We actresses are always called a few hours earlier, not just to the location, but even on set. So, the actress reaches first. Once the assistant sees that the heroine has arrived, that’s when the hero is called,” she said.She also highlighted differences in arrangements made for actors based on gender, adding, “Of course, we never get the same hotel rooms or cars either, courtesy our gender.”
Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming film ‘Gandhari ’
Taapsee’s reflections come ahead of the release of her upcoming Netflix film ‘Gandhari’, an intense revenge action-thriller directed by Devashish Makhija and written and produced by Kanika Dhillon. The film follows a mother who loses her young daughter at a train station and, after a violent attack leaves her temporarily unable to see, must push through fear and grief to confront a hidden network of child traffickers. Reuniting Taapsee with Dhillon, the film also stars Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam and Swastika Mukherjee, and is set to premiere on Netflix on September 3, 2026. She was last seen in ‘Assi’ as Advocate Raavi.
