PremiumTaapsee Pannu on 8 years of Naam Shabana: 'Did a spy thriller when it wasn't in fashion'
Taapsee Pannu marked Naam Shabana's 8th anniversary, recalling how she pioneered the spy thriller genre. She returns to action in Gandhari, playing a fierce mother fighting for her kidnapped child.
Last Updated: 07.35 PM, Mar 31, 2025
March 31 marked Taapsee Pannu's Naam Shabana eighth anniversary. The actor made a remark about how she felt everyone was doing a spy thriller these days, alluding to her film. She also mentioned that she had starred in the spy thriller back when it wasn't in fashion.
Naam Shabana – Pioneering spy thriller
Naam Shabana starred Taapsee as the lead. She went through intense training to bring down a deadly arms dealer after being recruited by an intelligence organisation, as shown in the film. She proved herself to be an adaptable actor by executing daring stunts and action scenes throughout the project.
The actor elaborated on the origin of the concept for Naam Shabana by referencing the smash hit film Baby, in which she appeared in a supporting role and starred alongside Akshay Kumar. After her character in Baby received such positive feedback, the producers decided to base an entire film around Shabana, aka Meera. As she celebrated the eight-year anniversary of her film, Taapsee candidly admitted that there was no prequel or sequel.
Taapsee Pannu's reluctance to return to the genre
The actor admitted that, despite being a genre trailblazer, she had no intention of returning to the genre for fear of watering it down. Truthfully, action-packed spy thrillers weren't popular. An espionage thriller is now a sought-after genre. It has been done so long ago that if she brings it up again, people ask, "Why are you doing this again?" Taapsee is hesitant to manipulate it and risk causing further damage; she accomplished something extraordinary in the past.
Naam Shabana is currently streaming on Netflix and ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium).
For those who are unaware, producers tend to favour the spy thriller genre. The genre's popularity soared when Shah Rukh Khan's 2023 comeback film Pathaan made history at the box office. Soon after its unveiling, Yash Raj Films unveiled its YRF spy universe, slated to develop titles like War 2 and Pathaan vs Tiger. The producers have just invested in Alpha, the first spy thriller starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, which will be the network's first female-centric feature.
Meanwhile, Gandhari marks Taapsee's comeback to the action-thriller genre; in the film, she plays a mother who battles to save her kidnapped child. She has performed all of the stunts herself in order to accurately portray a mother's ferocious instincts. This year is the planned release window for the film on Netflix.