The Actors' Roundtable Teaser | @rajmas, Tovino Thomas, Taapsee Pannu, Sanya Malhotra & more!
Beyond the Hype: Unpacking the Insights from The Actors’ Roundtable 2021
The annual ‘Actors’ Roundtable’ with veteran film critic Rajeev Masand has become a landmark event in the Indian entertainment calendar, offering a rare, candid glimpse into the minds of the year’s most celebrated performers. The 2021 edition, hosted by Netflix India, was particularly significant, bringing together a powerhouse ensemble that represented the best of performances across both mainstream cinema and the booming streaming space.
The teaser for this engaging session—featuring the names Tovino Thomas, Taapsee Pannu, Sanya Malhotra, and more—hinted at a deep-dive into the craft, fears, and triumphs of the year. The final panel, in a conversation with Masand (@rajmas), included:
- Taapsee Pannu (Haseen Dillruba)
- Tovino Thomas (Minnal Murali)
- Sanya Malhotra (Pagglait and Meenakshi Sundareshwar)
- Raveena Tandon (Aranyak)
- Konkona Sen Sharma (Geeli Pucchi in Ajeeb Daastaans)
- Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger)
This diverse group, spanning different film industries (Hindi, Malayalam) and performance backgrounds, engaged in an hour-long discussion that delivered numerous insights into the life of a modern actor.
Key Themes and Candid Revelations
The roundtable covered a spectrum of professional and personal topics, moving beyond superficial success stories to explore the intricacies of acting in a rapidly changing industry.
The Secret of the ‘Special Perfume’
One of the most engaging segments was the discussion on unconventional methods actors use to get into character. A fascinating revelation emerged when multiple actors spoke about associating a unique scent with a specific role.
- Tovino Thomas revealed he uses one specific perfume from day one of a shoot to embody his character’s traits. For his role as Jaison in Minnal Murali, he used a fragrance that coincidentally had a lightning bolt-shaped bottle, helping to solidify the ‘superhero’ persona in his mind.
- Sanya Malhotra echoed this, stating that her sense of smell is her strongest tool for getting back into a character’s zone, especially when she’s shooting for two different films concurrently. She used this technique for her performance in Pagglait.
- Taapsee Pannu confirmed the sentiment, explaining that the use of a consistent perfume throughout a film’s shoot is simply “to put you in the zone,” allowing the sense of smell to act as a memory trigger for the character’s emotional state.
The Actor’s Fears and Insecurities
The conversation turned deeply personal as the actors discussed what truly frightens them in their profession.
- Taapsee Pannu expressed a significant fear of “repeating myself,” highlighting a desire to constantly push boundaries and avoid becoming predictable to the audience.
- A sentiment that garnered a “plus one” from the entire panel was the fear of working with a “bad director.” As Taapsee Pannu noted in the teaser, the instruction “just do as I say” is a major professional scare, as a confused director can negatively impact the final product, often leaving the lead actor to face the consequences.
- Another fear articulated was the difficulty of acting opposite a co-actor who is simply a piece of tape on a wall, forcing the actor to create the chemistry and emotion in a vacuum.
Fighting for the Role They Deserve
The panel shared instances where they had to actively pursue or “fight” for a character they deeply connected with, challenging the notion that roles simply arrive on a platter for established stars.
- Taapsee Pannu candidly admitted to fighting “shamelessly” for her breakthrough role in Haseen Dillruba.
- Adarsh Gourav shared the intense preparation he undertook for his audition for The White Tiger, a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination, noting he had never prepared so much for any other role.
- Raveena Tandon spoke about her willingness to do a film like Aranyak, which broke her mold, driven by a need to challenge herself beyond the roles she was typically being offered.
The Streaming Revolution and Its Impact
A substantial portion of the discussion focused on the transformative role of streaming platforms in democratizing content and creating complex, meaty roles that traditional cinema rarely offered.
The actors acknowledged that the streaming age:
- Made Cinema Accessible: Taapsee Pannu mentioned that streaming allows for more options and a greater variety of content.
- Created More Complex Characters: For Konkona Sen Sharma, the character of Bharti Mandal in Ajeeb Daastaans was a fascinating opportunity—a Dalit, lesbian factory worker whose narrative challenges the audience and offers an unflinching social commentary.
- Provided New Avenues for Established Stars: Raveena Tandon’s role as a police officer in Aranyak exemplified how OTT platforms are giving established actors the opportunity to play grounded, multi-layered characters, far removed from the formulaic tropes of commercial cinema.
The 2021 Actors’ Roundtable was a testament to the fact that Indian cinema is in a dynamic, exciting phase. By providing a platform for such honest exchanges, Rajeev Masand facilitated a discussion that was as much a celebration of the year’s stellar performances as it was a compelling masterclass in the craft of acting.
AISEO Friendly FAQs
1. Who were all the actors at The Actors’ Roundtable 2021 with Rajeev Masand?
The Actors’ Roundtable 2021, hosted by Rajeev Masand and Netflix India, featured six actors: Taapsee Pannu, Tovino Thomas, Sanya Malhotra, Raveena Tandon, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Adarsh Gourav.
2. What were the main films or shows discussed during this roundtable?
The actors’ performances were primarily discussed in relation to their major 2021 releases on Netflix, including:
- Taapsee Pannu: Haseen Dillruba
- Tovino Thomas: Minnal Murali
- Sanya Malhotra: Pagglait and Meenakshi Sundareshwar
- Raveena Tandon: Aranyak
- Konkona Sen Sharma: Geeli Pucchi in Ajeeb Daastaans
- Adarsh Gourav: The White Tiger
3. What was the “Secret of the Special Perfume” discussed by the actors?
Tovino Thomas, Sanya Malhotra, and Taapsee Pannu revealed that they often use a specific, consistent perfume while shooting a particular film. They do this to create a sensory association, allowing the smell to act as a powerful memory trigger that instantly helps them get into the emotional “zone” and mindset of their character, especially when balancing multiple projects.
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