Sometimes, one’s second innings can be more stimulating than the first. While it’s too early to gauge Esha Deol’s second shot at acting, as she returned to the screens with Rudra: The Edge of Darkness last year, the actor is thoroughly enjoying this phase, picking projects that interest her. Her latest release is Hunter Tootega Nahi, Todega, which sees her playing an investigative journalist.

“It’s a layered character. She comes from a small town, is gutsy, and when the need arises, she can deliver kicks and punches as easily as she can pull a trigger,” says Deol. Yesterday, the series dropped on Amazon Mini, which is a free video-streaming service within the shopping app, and comprises short films and shows designed for the masses.

Saying yes to the Suniel Shetty-led show came easy to Deol. Reason? Far from her earlier offerings that had her playing the glam doll while her leading men beat the baddies to pulp, this series has her trying her hand at action.

“I always wanted to do action. This series gave me the opportunity. At the end of the day’s shoot, it gave me a different kind of satisfaction to have done [stunts]. I’m on the hunt for a full-fledged action project.”

Finding her groove in the action genre seems almost inevitable for Deol. Her actor-father Dharmendra, after all, is Hindi cinema’s original He-Man. She agrees, stating, “Like dance comes naturally to me thanks to my mother [Hema Malini], so does action. If you see my frame, I have taken after my dad. Action and dance are in my DNA.”

Last year marked two decades since she began her journey as an actor with Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe (2002). While she is satisfied with the way her past stint shaped up, it is her new innings that has Deol upbeat. “I’m choosing subjects that align with my mentality, and [enhance] the way I want to be seen as an actor. An intense character with the scope to do action is what satisfies me today.”