From screen to squash: Taapsee Pannu’s festive glow and fitness secrets
As the air fills with the scent of sweets and the glow of diyas lights up every corner, there’s no better time than Diwali to celebrate radiance in all its forms — and few embody that spirit quite like Taapsee Pannu.
Known for lighting up the screen with her powerful performances and unapologetically bold choices, Taapsee is more than just a trailblazing actor — she’s a producer, a fitness enthusiast, a plant mom, and someone who finds joy in the simplest rituals. While most of us are busy curating our festive looks, Taapsee keeps it real with a skincare routine rooted in grandma wisdom, minimal fuss, and skincare classics.
Her energy, like the festival itself, is a vibrant blend of tradition and edge — one that carries from the gym to the squash court to the red carpet. In this exclusive Diwali special, we catch up with Taapsee in between film sets and pre-production meetings to chat about beauty hacks, her love for plants, the fitness routines that keep her going, and how she powers through 6 am call times without coffee. Sparkling with wit and grounded in honesty, Taapsee reminds us that the best kind of glow — festive or otherwise — comes from being completely yourself.
Excerpts:
From grandma-approved skincare to squash sessions, Taapsee Pannu embodies radiance and fitness
You often keep your beauty look fresh and minimal — is there one grandma-approved skincare hack you swear by, even today?
I think the credit I would like to give my grandma is that she has transferred good genes to me via my parents. Half the job is done there, and I do the remaining half by not ruining the gift I got. I do take care of it in a basic and effective way by using my favourite products including sunscreen and soft cream.
When you’re not in front of the camera, what’s your definition of self-care Sunday? Bubble baths or boxing gloves?
I am not a boxing kind of person; I am more like a racket person. So, squash session and a lot of naps.
How do you take care of your curls and completely own it?
Curly hair has a mind of their own. If you love them, they love you back. If you resist or tame them, they will revolt. I make sure I use a lot of conditioning pre and post wash. I use oil or Dove’s curl hair mask before the wash and keep it for a few hours in my hair and then wash and condition them with Dove’s curly hair shampoo and conditioner. Also, it’s extremely important to add leave-in conditioner and gel to curly hair post wash to keep the curls intact. So, I use Dove’s curly hair gel in damp hair, comb them and then leave them to air dry.
From squash courts to strength training — how do you keep your fitness routine from getting boring? Any secret workouts we don’t know about?
I believe everyone should find their own kind of fun way of getting their body to work and sweat. I found my favourites in aerial yoga and squash. To make sure my muscles stay strong enough for long, I also incorporate strength training in the gym. So, I alternate between these three types of workouts which keeps me entertained and engaged and not get bored doing similar things every day or go to the same gym every day.
You’ve played some seriously intense roles. Does your physical training shift depending on the film, or do you follow a steady rhythm regardless of the script?
It depends on a lot of my roles. It doesn’t matter if I have to show off my body or not. It’s more about how I should feel when I’m performing, and you can control how you feel to a large extent by training your body in a certain way. Also, it’s fun to give yourself a new goal every now and then.
Let’s settle this — green juices or strong coffee to power through a 6 am call time?
None. I actually have a spoon of pure desi ghee after waking up with a glass of warm water and go for my workout.
You’ve built a career on taking up unconventional, fearless roles. What’s one script you regret not saying yes to?
There have been a few scripts I have said no to in spite of knowing they will become a big hit because my track in the film was not part of the main storyline. And I don’t regret it. I’m okay with doing small roles in films but insignificant.
Is there a genre you haven’t explored yet that’s sitting on your vision board?
I’ve done a psychological thriller — Blurr ; a musical — Manmarziyaan; I’ve done action in Baby Naam Shabana and now Gandhari; and science fiction was Dobaara. So honestly, there are very few genres I’m left to explore. Maybe it will be fun to try a period film.
Do you ever re-watch your own films? Or is it more like ‘cringe and click away’ when they show up on TV?
After I see the final copy, I don’t watch my own films because I start picking out at least one new fault every time I see it.
You’ve also ventured into production and entrepreneurial spaces. What’s something you’re working on behind the scenes that’s got you really excited right now?
I’m right now in the process of pre-production with three projects under my production house; they are all at different stages. It’s so surreal to be attached to a project at such a nascent stage. This almost feels like giving birth to something of your own and hence, there is a tad bit extra attachment to it.
If you could create your dream OTT project — cast, director, plot — what would that look like? (Yes, you can cast yourself!)
I’ve never really pinned my dream project because then every project I get, I will feel bad that it doesn’t match up to the pinned dream project and that’s definitely not a good way of looking at it. So, I’d rather keep it open.
When you’re not working or training, where do we find you — curled up with a book, exploring food spots, or secretly binge-watching K-dramas?
You will find me in a movie theatre catching up on new releases in any language.
What’s something fans would be totally surprised to know you’re obsessed with — puzzles, plants, true crime podcasts?
Plants. I’m my in-house gardener. I love planting new seeds, nurturing them and then seeing them bear flowers or fruits. I have over 200 plants in my house and many of them are edible herbs and vegetable plants.
You travel a lot for work — is there a city (in India or abroad) that you’d drop everything to live in for six months, no questions asked?
Six months is a long time for a practical person like me to imagine myself stationed in. I’ve made a life where I’m already constantly shuttling between three countries (India, Denmark and UAE Dubai); I’m very happy with this combination. Between these three, I have it all I can ever imagine.
What’s your current guilty pleasure — be it food, music, fashion, or an Instagram rabbit hole you can’t quit?
Food and shopping will always be my guilty pleasure. Nothing trumps that.
