Taapsee Pannu is making her long-awaited return to the action genre with her upcoming Netflix film Gandhari. The actor, who last performed action sequences in Baby (2015) and Naam Shabana (2017), said fans have been asking her for years to take on more action-oriented roles. She finally agreed, but only on one condition — the action had to be better than what she had done before.
“Since ‘Baby’ and ‘Naam Shabana’, people have been after me to do action but I’ve been avoiding it because it takes a lot of physical effort for me to do action. First of all, I don’t enjoy hitting people physically. Even though my image says otherwise. I generally don’t like hitting people. I’m a non-violent person that way.”
The 39-year-old actor shared these thoughts on the sidelines of the ongoing Jagran Film Festival in New Delhi. She explained that her films typically do not have large budgets for techniques like face replacement or green-screen action, which means she has to perform all the stunts herself. This makes the process physically exhausting.
Why Taapsee Pannu Waited So Long to Return to Action
Taapsee Pannu said she deliberately stayed away from action films because she wanted her return to offer something fresh. The idea of simply repeating her earlier action roles did not appeal to her. She wanted to push herself further.
“I wanted to do action that takes it a level above what I’ve done before. Only then is it worth attempting action again. So I’ve tried doing that. I hope the audience is satisfied and likes this as much or more than what they’ve seen me doing before.”
The film marks her return to action after nearly nine years. Her character Bani in Gandhari is a mother driven by a fierce determination to protect her child. The role required extensive physical training and commitment.
‘Gandhari’ Release Date and OTT Platform
Gandhari is set to premiere on Netflix on September 3, 2026. The film will be available for streaming globally on the platform. Netflix announced the release date on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The film was announced as part of the Netflix 2026 slate earlier this year. It reunites Netflix with Taapsee Pannu and writer-producer Kanika Dhillon following the success of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba.
Plot and Cast of ‘Gandhari’
Gandhari is an emotionally charged action-thriller set in a fictional town called Joypurra. The story follows Bani, a mother whose devotion is tested at every turn as she searches for her missing daughter. She faces unimaginable challenges with conviction and sacrifice.
The film is directed by Devashish Makhija, known for films like Bhonsle (2018) and Joram (2023). It is written and produced by Kanika Dhillon under her banner Kathha Pictures.
The cast includes:
- Taapsee Pannu as Bani
- Ishwak Singh
- Mita Vashisht
- Jatin Sarna
- Swastika Mukherjee
- Chhaya Kadam
The team released a new poster on Friday, which shows Taapsee Pannu standing against a towering shadow of Goddess Kali.
Taapsee Pannu and Kanika Dhillon’s Creative Partnership
Gandhari marks the sixth collaboration between Taapsee Pannu and writer-producer Kanika Dhillon. They have previously worked together on Manmarziyaan (2018), Haseen Dillruba (2021), Rashmi Rocket (2021), Dunki (2023), and Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba (2024).
Taapsee Pannu spoke about their creative equation, saying their process is collaborative from the beginning. Dhillon comes to her with a storyline and screenplay, and then Pannu shares her feedback. Dhillon writes the full script keeping that feedback in mind.
“She comes with me with a script that’s basically just a storyline and screenplay. ‘Puri script toh likhi jaati hai baad mein’ (The complete script is written afterwards). I don’t tell her, ‘Write this’ or ‘Don’t write that’. I tell her what I liked and not liked about the script and the story. And then she writes the whole script keeping that in mind and keeping me in mind. That’s why the collaborative output is the way you see it.”
Kanika Dhillon said about the film:
“With Gandhari, we are bringing an intense and emotionally charged mother-led action thriller to the screen. Taapsee and I are coming together for a fiery, raw action-thriller for the first time. Gandhari is a heroic story of a mother driven by revenge that I had a great time writing and producing. Taapsee is an exceptionally hard worker who has put her absolute heart and soul into every frame of this film. I can’t wait for the audience to witness Taapsee in this fierce, unseen avatar.”
Plagiarism Controversy Surrounding ‘Gandhari’
Taapsee Pannu’s upcoming Netflix film Gandhari found itself at the center of a controversy after rumours of plagiarism went viral. A Mumbai-based writer named Raghav Desai reportedly claimed that he had pitched a similar script to the makers in 2024 and alleged that the script was copied and is being used under the name of writer and producer Kanika Dhillon.
However, the production house Kathha Pictures issued a statement clarifying that the allegations are false and baseless. In a statement on Instagram, the production house said:
“Our attention has been drawn to allegations circulating on social media and in certain publications to the effect that our forthcoming film ‘Gandhari’ copies another person’s concept and uses that person’s title. These allegations are false, and we deny them unequivocally. ‘Gandhari’ is an original work, written and produced by Ms Kanika Dhillon and developed by Kathha Pictures. Its story and screenplay are Ms Dhillon’s own work.”
The statement requested the media and public to treat the allegations as unverified and false.
Related:
Taapsee Pannu at the India Today Women Summit
Taapsee Pannu also spoke about Gandhari at the India Today Women Summit. She described the project as an emotional story centered on a mother fighting to protect her abducted daughter. The film is her sixth collaboration with writer Kanika Dhillon.
Addressing the gender pay gap in Indian cinema, she highlighted budget constraints for female-led projects, noting that an entire film’s budget often equals the salary of a single male actor. She also reflected on her film Thappad and the personal stories women shared with her following its release.
Pannu explained her approach to roles, stating she portrays relatable characters rather than black-and-white figures. She also discussed her decision to keep her personal life private and her perspective on independent women in cinema. Remarking on her outspoken reputation, Pannu suggested her autobiography title should be “I am difficult”.
What to Expect from ‘Gandhari’
The film is described as an emotionally driven action story rooted in a mother’s fierce instinct to protect her child. Taapsee Pannu has reportedly performed extensive action sequences in the film, including some while blindfolded.
Speaking about the film earlier, Taapsee Pannu had said:
“It has been not just mentally but a physically demanding film. We tried to achieve so much against all odds which wouldn’t have been possible if the entire team was not aligned together and driven enough to complete this film at break neck speed. We have pushed the envelope a bit with this film.”
Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Original Films at Netflix India, shared:
“Gandhari is a bold, emotionally charged action thriller that turns a mother’s love into a force — fierce, instinctive and impossible to ignore. We are delighted to reunite with Taapsee Pannu and Kanika Dhillon, building on a creative partnership we deeply value and carrying it into a strikingly different space with Devashish Makhija at the helm.”
Also Read: ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ : Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey Starrer on Netflix This August 9
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