Just before Diwali, the November premiere of the third season of Delhi Crime was announced. Lead actor Shefali Shah calls this news a “divine intervention” amid the festive season’s excitement. “It feels like this Diwali’s patakha. I’ve been asked constantly when the next season is dropping, and it took a lot to be secretive,” the 52-year-old tells us.

This season brings out the actor’s playful spirit. “During Diwali, I get this childlike excitement,” she laughs, adding, “It’s my favourite festival, something I look forward to every year.”

Shefali fondly recalls how Diwali was a ‘big deal’ during her childhood. She remembers waking up at 5 am to the smell of patakhas filling the air and how new curtains were always part of the celebration. “The night before Diwali, my mother used to make a rangoli of Lakshmi ji, and I would get very possessive about it,” she shares, adding, “I would get upset if somebody were to spoil it. I would sit up all night while she was making the rangoli and help her.”

That’s why every ritual and tradition still feels meaningful to her. “It’s about the puja, about everyone coming together and decorating the house. And finally on the Diwali night, it’s about our core circle being together,” she says.

Shefali also enjoys the Diwali tradition of giving gifts, which she personally handpicks. “I don’t just order something and ask others to make it. If you’re giving a gift, it has to be personal,” she explains, sharing that she visited Mumbai’s Crawford Market this year to source goodies herself.

“I went through all the garmi, dhool, and mitti, made my selections, brought them home, packed everything, and sent it off with a note. I love giving gifts, but I don’t really receive them. Maybe I should tell people it’s time they start giving me gifts,” she adds.

In Delhi Crime, the capital has been not merely the setting, but an important character in itself. Be that as it may, director Tanuj Chopra has moved the production out of Delhi, and for good reason. mid-day has learnt that the shoot of the Shefali Shah-fronted series moved to Mumbai last week as the team grappled with the worsening air quality in the capital. The crew has now set up base in the sprawling Royal Palms in Goregaon, Mumbai, where they will film throughout December.

A source close to the production revealed, “The smog in Delhi was a major concern. The cast and crew’s safety is the top priority. So, the decision to shift the shoot to Mumbai was made unanimously. It’s unfortunate because the series draws so much of its essence from Delhi, but we had to be pragmatic when the AQI has been constantly between very poor and severe, even recording a reading of 491 on November 19.”

For the ongoing Mumbai schedule, the team has apparently recreated parts of Delhi on set. Even as the production team is ensuring that the look of the capital remains authentic in the few exterior scenes, we’ve heard Chopra has lined up most of the interior sequences in this leg. The insider added, “We will head back to Delhi after three months, when the air quality improves. Tanuj wants to shoot crucial outdoor sequences in the capital.”

The third season of the International Emmy-winning series reportedly explores the subject of human trafficking.