Taapsee Pannu: Want to be an Indian superhero in Avengers

Taapsee Pannu

Taapsee Pannu on Sunday said she wants to play an Indian superhero in the pantheon of Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers films. The actor said she is "personally attached" to these films from Marvel Studio and hopes she gets an opportunity to play a superhero in her career. "I hope I get a chance in my life to be a superhero in Avengers. That's the only role that I think I've not done. I don't want to replace any character, I want to be an Indian superhero in the Avengers.

"I remember 'Captain Marvel' released along with 'Badla'. After I saw 'Captain Marvel' trailer, I told my sister, 'Had I done this, it would have been something else'," Taapsee said during an in-conversation session with film critic Rajeev Masand at the 10th Jagran Film Festival here. The 31-year-old actor said she has a huge crush on Iron-Man, famously played by Robert Downey Jr in the MCU. When Masand pointed out the character was dead in the MCU, she said, "I cried in the theatre. I was so sad."

Asked if there was a film she wishes she had been a part of, Taapsee said she would have loved to feature in Ayushmann Khurrana's role in "Article 15", directed by her "Mulk" helmer Anubhav Sinha. "I don't think I have that with female characters. I haven't felt that if I played a particular female character, the film would turn out differently. But I loved 'Article 15', I thought I would've also done a great job had I done Ayushmann's role," she said, earning applause from the audience. "I can say that as they are two good friends. They won't take it in the wrong way. But I keep telling this to Anubhav Sinha: 'I would have also done a good job, sir'," she quipped.

One of the audience members asked if she felt "Judwaa 2" was going to be a strong script, when she read it. She replied simply saying she "knew it will cross Rs 100 crore mark". "No matter what you say that's the only film in my filmography that has crossed Rs 100 crores at the box office. Now that's not a joke on me, it's on the audience," she added. Taapsee also credited the Varun Dhawan-fronted film for making her the face of "unconventional mainstream cinema".

"Today, people don't keep me aside saying that she's an indie actor or she does only offbeat roles. They see me as the face of unconventional mainstream cinema. "I will always be thankful for 'Judwaa 2' for that because when people wanted to stamp me after 'Pink' and 'Naam Shabana', the film suddenly came where I was in the conventional Hindi heroine avatar. I had to prove to the other side, that I'm not doing these films due to lack of options, those are my choices."

The actor is reuniting with Sinha for a currently untitled film, which goes on floors in September. Taapsee, who is known for her powerful portrayals, said the director told her that he would take away the "firebrand image that you have" in this film. "This character is not going to be like that. Yes, she'll have her own strengths, but you'll not see an a''-kicking character. It will be a different type of me you'll see," she said. Her other two releases this year are "Mission Mangal" and "Saand Ki Aankh". She is also working on a Tamil action thriller.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates