Actor recalls awkward on-set practices across industries
February 22, 2026: Taapsee Pannu has sparked an online debate after candidly speaking about uncomfortable on-set experiences across regional film industries. In a recent appearance on Shubhankar Mishra YouTube Podcast, the actor reflected on how women’s bodies are often visually emphasised in song sequences. Responding to a question about the focus on the navel in Bhojpuri and South Indian films, she observed that while southern cinema often highlights the midriff through framing and choreography, Hindi films tend to shift attention towards cleavage.
Sharing behind-the-scenes details, Taapsee described how instructions such as wearing padded bras were sometimes communicated indirectly due to the limited number of women present on set. She explained that such messages would pass through multiple intermediaries — from the director to assistant directors and styling teams — before reaching the actor, making the process awkward and uncomfortable.
The actor further said that during song shoots, performers would sometimes be asked to step away mid-shoot to make adjustments, only to return and face scrutiny over whether the “difference” was visible on camera. According to her, these practices stem from a belief that amplifying certain physical features enhances visual appeal and caters to audience expectations, often placing the spotlight on appearance rather than performance.