Attribute it to its unusual plot or the fresh pairing of Shweta Tripathi and Tahir Raj Bhasin, but Netflix’s Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein has certainly caught the attention of web show consumers. Tripathi retraces the tale on power, love, and deceit to the one she witnessed in Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit-Nene’s Pukar, where “all is fair in love and war”.

“Love is the driving force for everything in this show. Here, right and wrong takes a back seat, because love is a potent and strong emotion that needs to be handled with care,” says the actor, well aware that the views are likely to evoke polarised responses. “What if you are in love with somebody, who love someone else? What is wrong with that? [Those in love] have reasons to justify their action,” says the actor of the show that sees its protagonist caught between a woman who loves him, and another who desires him.

Tales on obsessive love stories are tricky to navigate. But the challenge, Tripathi says, doesn’t make them unworthy of exploring. “As artistes, we have to put our story forward without the fear of judgment. Today, there is so much pressure from everyone. But as storytellers, we can’t be scared. That’s an individual’s choice. We are not puppets. We will speak our mind.”