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Time of India
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Richie Mehta: If you care about the subjects as you're conveying their stories, you give them veto power over you to stop it
Filmmaker Richie Mehta stood before an audience recently in Mumbai at and spoke about the intent behind storytelling. He said that with Delhi Crime, 'I wanted to show the world this - you (the world) think India is gangrape and sexual molestation of women when you show up here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now You do not realise that there are women solving the crime in a manner that you have never seen on Earth. You think India is a poor country. There is poverty here. There is also the best artistic talent on Earth. I'm going to show you both.' That intention - the duality, the dignity, and the truth of the case is what became Delhi Crime. Talking about his approach, Richie added, 'If you care about the subjects as you're conveying their stories, you give them veto power over you to stop it." Excerpts from his masterclass at the recently concluded Waves Summit in Mumbai - 'I told retd. Delhi Police Commissioner that I don't think anyone should be doing the story of this case, ever' Talking about the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young student in Delhi, Richie said 'I was still moved by this, like all of us were." He returned to Delhi to do research and met a family friend - retired Police commissioner who had supervised the investigation. 'I have a concept, I'd like to pursue it,' Mehta told him. 'I just have some questions about protocol in the Delhi Police.' Neeraj Kumar replied, 'I have a better idea for you. I think you should do the story of the case itself.' Richie said, 'I don't think anyone should be doing the story of this case, ever.' but Neeraj Kumar told him, 'I will introduce you to the woman who solved the crime. I will give you case files, the sessions court verdict, read it. Meet her. If you think there's a story here, I'll open this whole world to you.' 'I haven't met a superhero before or after her' Richie read it. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And he couldn't stop, and said,"I went back to the flat I was staying at in Delhi and thought, 'Oh my God.' I started reading it. I have never read something like this in my life - how 12 officers of an institution that many of us don't have much faith in came together for one week and said, 'Evil has reared its ugly head. We are gonna make sure this never happens again.' And they were led by a woman. I met her (then DCP Chhaya Sharma who investigated the case). I haven't met a superhero before or after that." 'Sitting in police stations in neutral situations, you realise they're just human beings, suffering as much as anybody else' The investigation wasn't just about solving a case - it was, Richie realised, an analysis of why such crimes happen. 'If you look at both, you answer all the questions. It was a life experience.' He began four years of research, splitting time between Canada and India, shadowing Delhi Police officers, sitting in their offices for hours. 'I don't know if any of you have gone to a police station for reasons that aren't terrible. If you just go in a neutral circumstance and watch, it's very interesting. You realise they are just human beings suffering as much as anybody else. Once in a while, there's one or two who are trying to do the right thing. ' He was struck by the working conditions of police - who sometimes had no electricity, officers paying for their own fuel, taking bus to reach crime scenes. 'Simple details like this are the reason I did Delhi Crime. Under the auspices of a much bigger issue - sexual violence, of course.' 'Delhi Crime is about the world that these people inhabit' When at a film festival, an HBO executive who was part of shows like Game of Thrones, Wire in Los Angeles became Richie's mentor, the idea of a web series came up. Richie shared, 'He told me - 'I'd love to see this as a series.' I said, 'I don't know how to write a series.' He said, 'I'll teach you.' Out of the goodness of his heart, once in a while, we meet these people.' The mentor shared research from The Wire and broke down the difference between film and series - 'In a film, plot comes first, then character, then world. In a series, it's the exact opposite.' That idea - that a series is a world you build and your characters inhabit changed Richie's approach. 'I constructed Delhi Crime according to that. It's about the world that these people inhabit. That's why I take digressions - like a five-minute argument about cutting a chicken's throat - which has nothing to do with the plot, but everything to do with the lives of these officers.' No one would fund it. 'Too controversial,' Richie said. 'Nobody wanted to touch sexual violence in a series, understandably.' But he was determined to make it entirely in India. 'All of the talent was Indian. Nobody was from abroad. That was a big goal for me, because I'm convinced India has the best talent on Earth.' There was one rule for him - 'I will never show the crime. Because it is not about the violence. It is about the people fixing the violence. The other side of the coin.' Before proceeding, Richie insisted on meeting Nirbhaya's parents. 'I said, 'Tell me to stop and I'll stop.' That was four and a half years into the process. It was very important for me. To deal with imposter syndrome, you have to give your subject veto power at every stage. The mother told me 'If you do exactly what you say you're gonna do, I support you.' Later, before the series released, he showed it to her. 'I said, 'Tell me to change anything, I'll change it, and she said - No.'' I've made promises to the people these projects are based on. I cannot break those promises The same principle guided Poacher, Richie's follow-up series set in Kerala and based on real-life wildlife crime-fighters. 'After Delhi Crime won Emmy, I thought if I get one chance to leverage with no questions asked. What do I burn it on? I believe in wildlife conservation.' He approached wildlife officers - 'How can I help you?' They said, 'Show how difficult our lives are as we try to save species. There will never be any reward - other than what our heart tells us. ' He built Poacher like Delhi Crime - as a procedural thriller. 'Delhi Crime was a shot in the dark. This time I said, let me do it in a more refined way.' For Richie, storytelling comes with responsibility. 'From the first film onwards, each one gets more difficult. I've made promises to the people these projects are based on. I cannot break those promises. If anyone forces me to, I'll turn on them. Everyone on my projects understands that. The intent is pure.' 'Nobody wants to see an elephant shot in the head' After Poacher premiered, it became a rallying point for wildlife crime fighters globally. Richie shares,'They said, 'We've never seen anything like this. This is our story. Can you tell our story now?'' Richie spent the last year and a half traveling to wildlife crime conferences, meeting conservationists most people have never heard of. 'These are the most noble people I've ever met. In a polarising world, I thought - maybe we can all agree on this. Nobody wants to see an elephant shot in the head.'
India Today
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Huma Qureshi: The ‘Maharani' of reinvention
Huma Qureshi has had a lot brewing lately. As if her acting duties weren't enough, she has donned the cape of a producer, written a novel that she hopes to adapt into a feature, and is developing a sari also the passion project of celebrating the 50th anniversary of Saleem's, her father's famous restaurant in New Delhi. At India Today's Indo-UAE Conclave 2025 in Dubai recently, Qureshi said she's enjoying her current state of 'exploration'. It has seen her as the face of one of streaming's popular and longest-running series in Maharani (on SonyLIV) and amassing quite an upcoming roster with a new season of Delhi Crime, a new edition of the Jolly LLB franchise, and being part of the highly-anticipated Yash-starrer two kids who came from Delhi not knowing a single person in Mumbai to have reached this far has been nothing short of magical,' said Qureshi of her and brother Saqib Saleem's journey in the Hindi film industry. 'Despite all claims of the industry being so closed, it still opened its arms to both of us and gave a lot of opportunities.'Qureshi has been riding the streaming wave successfully, having been part of Leila and Mithya as well as the beloved Netflix film Monica, O My Darling, where her titular act of a femme fatale, unlike one she's done before, won her much appreciation. 'I just like to have fun with my characters. The only rule I have is that I will never repeat myself,' said Qureshi. Her stubbornness, she noted, came in handy as she has worked towards picking parts that break stereotypes. 'I guess anytime someone said you can't, mustn't and shouldn't do this, I have always questioned 'Why not?' That's the key defining factor for me as an artiste and an individual,' she mentality took her far and helped cope with challenges. There have been doubts, mistakes committed and comparisons made, but what's worked is that she decided 'to be true to yourself'. Qureshi won't let industry expectations of appearance weigh her down or determine her choices.'Why am I expected to always try and look younger than who I am? If a great script comes my way, I should say no to it because I am afraid of portraying someone who is a few years older than me?' Instead, Qureshi, 38, takes control of her own narrative, be it being one of the first to ride the OTT wave to leave a distinct mark on all her characters. Her only grouse—she wants more dancing parts. 'I am such a good dancer,' she said. 'It's such an unfortunate thing. Can we start a petition?'HUMA UNCUT@INDO-UAE CONCLAVE* 'Every time someone tries to put me in a box, I am like 'No, give me a reason why?''* 'There are parts I can do but I don't get the calls. So what do I do? Sit at home and cry ki mujhe mauka nahin mil raha hai? I am not going to lament. I am going to go out there, take control of my own narrative and choose the stories I want to tell and the filmmakers I want to work with.'advertisement* 'I feel like now we are in the 2.0 era of the OTT revolution where we need to rethink what kind of stories we are putting out there and who we want to reach.'* 'For sure female-led shows and films are doing extremely well. But I will give you something to chew on. I am part of one of the most-watched-and-loved show Maharani, but am I getting paid as much as the male counterparts who are doing shows? Far from it.'* 'I just like to have fun with my characters. The only rule I have is that I will never repeat myself.'Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sayani Gupta on joining Delhi Crime 3: I love the way women tell their stories
For actor Sayani Gupta, majority of her filmography consists of projects where she has worked with more female actors. And now, she is adding another to that list as she is teaming up with actors Shefali Shah, Huma Qureshi and Rasika Dugal in Delhi Crime 3. Reflecting on her experience of working with them, Sayani says, 'It was great. I've always worked with a lot of women, and actually I have worked with more women directors in my career. So, I've always liked the way women tend to tell their stories.' The actor adds, 'Delhi Crime is such a fabulous legacy show, they command that kind of respect. I've only heard everyone say amazing things about the show. As for the women, Rasika is an old friend and Shefali and Huma are fabulous actors. As an actor, it's a pleasure to do a scene with good actors. All these three women are amazing actors and also solid human beings. I have had a great time on Delhi Crime as even our director Tanuj Chopra, lets his actors be and gives them so much space to shine and do their own thing. He really trusts his actors.' While she has had a show like Four More Shots Please!, which has had a legacy of its own, does she feel the pressure of entering another legacy show like Delhi Crime midway? 'I don't think as actors you can feel pressure. You are hired to do a job because the makers think you are capable enough, so you just go and do your thing, and try and have fun. You shouldn't take any pressure because nobody can do their job well if there's too much pressure,' she responds. As for Four More Shots Please!, the actor informs that she is currently shooting for its next season. 'We are shooting everyday, and it's exhausting. It's a lot of travel for us back and forth, but with all these girls (actors Kirti Kulhari, Maanvi Gagroo and Bani J), it's a lot of fun too,' she ends.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
The parts I play are main characters: Shefali Shah
Growing up, Shefali Shah thought the most she could aspire to be was an air hostess. Today, with over 25 films under her belt (from Monsoon Wedding to Gandhi, My Father and Three of Us), and some hard-hitting TV shows — let's not forget the 2023 International Emmy award nomination for best actress for Delhi Crime — Shah says she is 'happiest on set'. The versatile actor was in Chennai last weekend for Ignition, a platform created by philanthropic organisation Shiv Nadar Foundation to explore history, education, and society. In her conversation with journalist and host Shoma Chaudhury, Shah frankly discussed how she started her career with theatre, why she will never play Akshay Kumar's mother again, and how the 'parts that she plays are main characters'. With the much-awaited Delhi Crime season 3 in the offing, The Hindu caught up with her to discuss films and understand how she finds silence in her characters. Edited excerpts: If you could revisit a character, which one would it be? Delhi Crime is the strongest one. In a film, to tell the entire story, you only have three hours. But in a series, you have eight episodes to build a whole person. There are challenges with it, but it is more exciting. Vartika is terrific. She is a no-nonsense person, and has a lot of empathy. Everyone thought that Nirbhaya was a personal case for her, which it was. But she takes every case personally, and that's why she's hell-bent on solving it. She is [also] very smart to understand her team's strength and work accordingly. I think she is very nuanced, and I had the time to create her. Most actors work towards finding a character's voice, but what does it take to find a character's silence? I genuinely feel that we have the luxury of a camera that can catch the smallest nuance. If you can say something in two words, don't use four sentences. If you can say something in silence, there is nothing that speaks louder than that. It's all caught [on camera]. I feel that there is a lot of power there. What kind of projects have followed 'Three of Us'? There is a lot of women-centric stuff happening. Often, when one thing takes off, everyone comes to you with similar projects. I shot for Delhi Crime's season three last year. I also shot for the film Hisaab, directed by Vipul Shah. It's a heist, and pretty funny. I take up something if I am completely blown away or affected deeply. A lot of times, I just end up saying no. Shefali's viewing list I watch a lot. I am inclined towards thrillers and human drama, but I am okay with anything that leaves an impact. Let's begin with some series: Adolescence, Chernobyl, When They See Us, Fleabag, and Gaslight. There is an old film too on my list, Steel Magnolias — as all the women characters are fantastic. Films such as Bahubali, Kantara, and Mani Ratnam's works have blown my mind; works of Vidya Balan such as Tumhari Sulu or Dirty Picture. Even [Sanjay Leela Bhasali's] Gangubai. There is so much amazing work happening. Which films, according to you, have best portrayed flawed women? Everyone is flawed in their own way. Vartika is not perfect; she has her own flaws. Shamshunissa [a character from Darling] is terribly flawed, but very unapologetic about it. And rightfully so. Dirty Picture, Disclaimer [a miniseries starring Cate Blanchett], and even Lipstick Under My Burkha [have flawed women]. According to society, they are completely messed up. But even otherwise, they have their own flaws. That is the beauty of humans. It's the rugged edge that makes them so interesting.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shefali Shah: My defining moment was when I chose to walk out of an unhappy relationship
Shefali Shah and (left) as DIG Vartika Chaturvedi in the OTT show Delhi Crime,which she says was a career-defining role for her (BCCL/ @shefalishahofficial) A recent event hosted by the Lucknow chapter of FICCI FLO, turned into a significant one with the National Award winning actress Shefali Shah interacting with the lady members in a session titled 'Rise and Roar'. Sharing her thoughts on various topics including her career, OTT, relationships and courage with Swati Verma and Vandita Agarwal, the Darlings actress began the session by sharing her warm first impression of the city. 'What I loved about Lucknow is how clean the roads are, the city is spaced out and well-planned. Yes, Chowk is a little different, but that's supposed to be like an old city,' she said with a smile. Reflecting on her upbringing, Shefali spoke of her humble roots, being the daughter of a doctor and a Reserve Bank of India employee. 'I'm extremely lucky and a privileged daughter because of my parents, whom I credit for my values,' she shared. She further shared about her journey into acting, Shefali revealed that it was never a planned move. 'I hated studies, and going into acting was never on the horizon. I wanted to be an air hostess. However, I started with theatre, and then it all just happened organically,' she said with a smile. The Satya and Dil Dhadakne Do actress also spoke about some defining moments of her life, receiving cheers and applause from the women in the room. 'As an actor, it might seem shocking, but my defining moment came just a couple of years ago, even after working for so long. That moment translated into more work. That happened with Delhi Crime for me, where my art was appreciated and I had the opportunity to play a lead role and work at my age,' she said, adding, 'Earlier, our traditional films mostly revolved around a hero-heroine and a pair of friends. For a very long time, there was no space for real characters. However, with the arrival of OTT, we now give space and consideration to characters.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Her body cannot endure this level of pain; please help her. Donate For Health Learn More Undo Shefali Shah Touching upon the evolution of content, Shefali called OTT a game-changer. 'It's not led by numbers, age, skin colour, or how beautiful or thin you are. OTT gives space for the real you and real characters. But yes, the charm of samosas and watching a movie in a theatre is irreplaceable. Still, OTT is a boon for actors like me, a platform where, in films, there hadn't been much character work for someone like me.' Speaking of another turning point in her life that required courage, she shared, 'The second was when I chose to walk out of an unhappy relationship. Whether there is something else or not, the question was, do I want to live like this all my life? I probably could have been alone for the rest of my life, but I'm glad I took that step.' On relationships and tolerance, the Hasratein and Juice actress, who is married to filmmaker Vipul Shah, added, 'There is a basic level of tolerance, and anyone in a marriage will stretch themselves. But when taking someone for granted piles up, that's when trouble begins. You may disagree, but respect towards each other must be there. Humour and wit are important to get through the journey of life, but we should also pay heed to situations when the jokes become too much,' she emphasized. Known for her strong opinions and powerful characters, Shefali has perhaps not done many films but says she has always chosen roles with substance. 'When you decide to be that kind of actor, then you don't get to do many films, because characters like these don't come often. The kind of work I do doesn't come often, and I've learned to say no—and I have the privilege to do so. I am happiest on set. Even though I don't necessarily love all the people, I love the give and take in this craft.' As the session drew to a close, and the women keenly listened to the profound conversation, Shefali, who has two sons Aryaman and Maurya, also reflected on parenting. 'Earlier, it used to be our mothers who led the narrative; now our children do. My parents taught me to be selfless. But now our kids are teaching us how self-preservation is important too. Parenting is both a bane and a boon, and it's a different journey for each parent,' she reflected. Shefali (left) in a still from Three Of Us Reflecting on her role in web series Three of Us , Shefali, who played a woman with dementia who goes back to her hometown to meet her childhood sweetheart, shared how it revealed her more vulnerable side to the world. 'I have this persona where I have to tell people, listen, I don't bite! I'm lucky and honoured that I'm extremely vulnerable and emotional, to the point of being wrong. When I played Shailaja, I was happy to get in touch with that softer side of mine,' she shared. - Amina Ashraf Stay updated with the latest Best Hindi Movies , Best Tamil Movies , Best Telugu Movies , Best english Movies , Best Malayalam Movies
