Taapsee Pannu wins Woman of the Year as Gandhari hits Netflix success

Taapsee Pannu was named Woman of the Year 2026 at Harper’s Bazaar India’s Women of the Year Awards, a moment that comes as Gandhari continues its strong Netflix run. The film has 18.9 million views in its first three weeks, according to the original report. DPIFF’s entertainment coverage can be found at DPIFF’s entertainment coverage and DPIFF’s newsroom coverage.

“So, as an actor, all I can say is my journey has been quite unplanned. So the credit, every year if I win something, I give a major share to my colleagues. Because if they wouldn’t have raised the bar, I wouldn’t have strived to probably touch their levels or probably try to go higher. Because every year I know how hard all the women in the industry hustle, struggle to get the best parts, to perform their best in every film they get an opportunity for. So, this is actually for all of you ladies there in the film industry who helped me, inspired me to give my best, to be better than the best and be here. Some years were nice, some years were not so nice. But then I had you all, the women in the audience, who made sure that they told me they want me and that’s why I showed up. Because if it wouldn’t have been for all of you who probably saw something different who saw themselves in me probably representing them on screen, I wouldn’t have been here,” she shared.”

“My entire journey as an actor is about representing the women I have grown up amidst, I have played with, I have gone to school with, college with, women in my family and today they are the reason why I have found my presence in this big industry which was definitely not a part of my planning. So, thank you so much for having me here.”

The honour arrives at a point when Taapsee’s work is being highlighted for both accolades and her filmography, and it underscores a pattern of using her platform to portray strong, nuanced women while acknowledging the audiences and colleagues who have supported her along the way.

For ongoing coverage of Taapsee Pannu and Gandhari, check DPIFF’s news section and newsroom. The latest DPIFF reporting will continue to track these developments—visit DPIFF for more entertainment coverage.