MUMBAI MIRROR (November 25, 2020)

I was watching the show live and could not stop screaming. I was totally over the moon and believe this win reinforces the credibility of talent that comes out of India. Delhi Crime is easily the turning point of my life and career; it has changed me not just as an actor but also as a person.

It talks about a real life incident which left every single person in the world with a human heart, shaken to the core. It’s a scar which will live with us forever. Its been my most enriching and consuming experience, ever.

— Shefali Shah who played DCP Vartika Chaturvedi
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I was given the first episode of Delhi Crime to read, so I could decide my interest. Then I had the shortest director meeting I’ve ever had. Richie Mehta and I spoke for 10 minutes and I was writing with him from the next day.

The screenplay was based on years of research, Richie had scored every case file. The challenge was the craft of dialogue writing had to be applied to build characters in Hindi, but what was written in English had to be followed strictly. The confessions, for example, had to be exact, while character study, background and speech had to be developed. Richie was literally reading over my shoulder as we wrote.

I’m from Delhi, have grown up in the environment that the Nirbhaya case unraveled in. Writing Delhi Crime was cathartic as it addressed all the fear and frustration built up inside me and every girl who has grown up in the capital city. Despite its true-to-life, relentlessly gritty storytelling, it made me feel like there is a small light at the end of the tunnel. All I had to do was try and make the feeling come alive in the world that Richie had created.

This is a win for every member of the cast and crew. The show won! That’s a wonderful feeling.

— Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh, Hindi dialogue writer