Love is not love until it is backed by respect: Taapsee Pannu

Actor Taapsee Pannu does not believe Thappad is an antidote to Shahid Kapoor-starrer Kabir Singh, but she says the movie definitely opposes physical abuse in the name of love. Kabir Singh, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was one of the biggest grossers of 2019, but the film received flak for its misogynistic gaze and normalising violence in a relationship.

Anubhav Sinha's Thappad, which focuses on a woman seeking divorce after her husband slaps her at a party, is being considered by many on social media as an answer to Vanga's depiction of love. "The film (Kabir Singh) is not entirely about that. There was a moment in that film, which kind of made domestic violence or physical abuse by a man on a woman normal and a part of love and intensity. Our film opposes that.

Watch the trailer of 'Thappad' here  

"To say, it opposes the entire film will be too heavy a statement to make. In Thappad, we don't feel it (violence in a relationship) is okay," Taapsee told PTI. The 32-year-old actor said love can only thrive on respect and violence of any kind from anybody is unacceptable. "Violence is not a part of love. Love is only love until it is backed by respect. If there is no respect in a relationship, then there is no love." Taapsee believes it is important to address the issue of domestic violence which still plagues the society and affects women, irrespective of their social background.

"It is important that we talk about it (domestic violence), that's why we made this film. When we were discussing about this film, we had this thing in mind, to show that the girl is from an upper middle-class educated and well-to-do family.

"It is not that such things happen in those houses where people are uneducated. This happens in educated families as well. It is happening with three women out of five," she added. Thappad also features Pavail Gulati, Dia Mirza, Ratna Pathak Shah, Tanvi Azmi, Kumud Mishra and Manav Kaul. It is set to hit the theatres on February 28.