Anubhav Sinha reacts to Taapsee Pannu's 'Bollywood obsessed with cleavage, South with midriff' remark: 'What audiences see...'
ETimes | March 11, 2026 5:39 AM CST
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha recently addressed actor Taapsee Pannu ’s remark about the portrayal of women in films. In an interview, the director shared his perspective on the debate around body representation in Bollywood and South Indian cinema . He also spoke about working with Taapsee and his past comment comparing her to Kangana Ranaut .
Taapsee had earlier said that Bollywood is often “obsessed with cleavage” while South Indian cinema tends to focus on the midriff. Reacting to the comment, Anubhav said such portrayals are often shaped by what audiences find aspirational at a particular time.
“Different film industries have certain body types that become aspirational for audiences at a particular time,” he told Siddharth Kannan. “What audiences see on screen is often shaped by what they find aspirational. That’s why certain body types dominate for a while before trends eventually change.”
‘Taapsee is a fantastic performer’During the conversation, Anubhav was also asked about Taapsee’s claim that some male actors are reluctant to work with her despite her performances.
Responding to this, the director said he cannot comment on the reasons behind such experiences. “I don’t know the exact reason. That’s her personal experience, and she would know better,” he said.
Praising the actor, Anubhav added that Taapsee is a “fantastic performer” and pointed out that she has worked with some of the biggest stars in the industry. “One of the biggest stars in India has worked with her recently. So the situation is probably more complex than it appears,” he said.
‘I love her as a professional, actor and person’Anubhav also spoke about his professional relationship with Taapsee, clarifying that the perception that they frequently collaborate is not entirely accurate.
“Actually, the perception that we work together constantly isn’t correct,” he said. “After Mulk (2018), we worked again in Thappad (2020), and now again years later. I love her as a professional, as an actor and as a person.”
‘She’s not manipulative enough’When asked if he relates to the way Taapsee speaks openly about issues, Anubhav said that she tends to be more straightforward than most people in the industry.
“She’s not manipulative enough. I’m manipulative enough,” he said. “But I’m not afraid of the truth — I’m afraid of the manipulation of truth. So sometimes I choose not to participate in conversations where the truth may be twisted.”
On his past comment comparing Kangana and TaapseeAnubhav was also asked about his earlier statement where he said Kangana Ranaut is a better actor than Taapsee and why he has never worked with her.
Responding to this, the filmmaker said it simply came down to the lack of a suitable script. “I never had a script suitable for her,” he explained.
He also noted that Kangana has been busy with other commitments in recent years. “In the past few years she has been active in politics and may have a different schedule. I’ve met her only once briefly,” he added.
Taapsee had earlier said that Bollywood is often “obsessed with cleavage” while South Indian cinema tends to focus on the midriff. Reacting to the comment, Anubhav said such portrayals are often shaped by what audiences find aspirational at a particular time.
“Different film industries have certain body types that become aspirational for audiences at a particular time,” he told Siddharth Kannan. “What audiences see on screen is often shaped by what they find aspirational. That’s why certain body types dominate for a while before trends eventually change.”
‘Taapsee is a fantastic performer’During the conversation, Anubhav was also asked about Taapsee’s claim that some male actors are reluctant to work with her despite her performances.
Responding to this, the director said he cannot comment on the reasons behind such experiences. “I don’t know the exact reason. That’s her personal experience, and she would know better,” he said.
Praising the actor, Anubhav added that Taapsee is a “fantastic performer” and pointed out that she has worked with some of the biggest stars in the industry. “One of the biggest stars in India has worked with her recently. So the situation is probably more complex than it appears,” he said.
‘I love her as a professional, actor and person’Anubhav also spoke about his professional relationship with Taapsee, clarifying that the perception that they frequently collaborate is not entirely accurate.
“Actually, the perception that we work together constantly isn’t correct,” he said. “After Mulk (2018), we worked again in Thappad (2020), and now again years later. I love her as a professional, as an actor and as a person.”
‘She’s not manipulative enough’When asked if he relates to the way Taapsee speaks openly about issues, Anubhav said that she tends to be more straightforward than most people in the industry.
“She’s not manipulative enough. I’m manipulative enough,” he said. “But I’m not afraid of the truth — I’m afraid of the manipulation of truth. So sometimes I choose not to participate in conversations where the truth may be twisted.”
On his past comment comparing Kangana and TaapseeAnubhav was also asked about his earlier statement where he said Kangana Ranaut is a better actor than Taapsee and why he has never worked with her.
Responding to this, the filmmaker said it simply came down to the lack of a suitable script. “I never had a script suitable for her,” he explained.
He also noted that Kangana has been busy with other commitments in recent years. “In the past few years she has been active in politics and may have a different schedule. I’ve met her only once briefly,” he added.
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