Actor Taapsee Pannu has responded to her Pink co-star Kirti Kulhari’s recent remarks about feeling “sidelined” during the promotions of their 2016 film. Taapsee said she was unaware of Kirti’s feelings at the time and would have addressed the situation if she had known.
Speaking to The Times of India, Taapsee said, “If someone feels a certain way, they have a reason for it. I didn’t know Kirti felt this way. If I had, I would have talked to her to see if I could help. I can’t dismiss her feelings.”
When asked about her relationship with Kirti, Taapsee clarified that they aren’t close friends but share a professional bond. “Maybe she saw our relationship differently, which made her feel distant. I’ve always kept things professional, and it was the same when we worked together in Mission Mangal,” she added.
Earlier, Kirti expressed disappointment about how the film’s promotions focused mainly on Taapsee and Amitabh Bachchan. She said the trailer, which featured only the two actors, was a “shock” for her. Despite reassurances from director Shoojit Sircar, Kirti felt the promotional campaign gave Taapsee more visibility, leading her to be known as the “Pink girl.”
Pink, a legal thriller about three women fighting a legal battle with the help of a lawyer played by Amitabh Bachchan, earned ₹157 crore and received widespread acclaim. It was later remade in Tamil and Telugu.