Sharing a special bond with Lucknow, actress Shweta Tripathi of Mirzapur fame says the city holds a special place in her life because of a reason. "Apart from the chikankari and chaat, the best memory about Lucknow is coming here by the Shatabadi train from Delhi to spend time with my cousins during our vacations and going back in the same train with tears in my eyes. Woh jo cousins ka reunion hota tha mera Lucknow mein, that's the fondest memory of mine," shares Shweta, who was in the city sometime back. In an exclusive chat with us, Shweta shared her views on the mixed reactions of the viewers on Mirzapur's latest season, how she handled online trolling, her love for reading books and more. Excerpts...

I don't think slow is wrong even though numbers have been more than the first and the second season. For me, Mirzapur Season 3 was the most mature season. Jab pehla season aaya tha tab usmein women ka itna role nahi tha. And in this season my character of Golu gun chala rahi thi and jab koi gun chala raha hota hai na toh uska size nahi dekhte. People were not able to accept a female bahubali and hence the trolling. People in our society will accept a man with similar body type as being fit for the role but not a woman. Why? I am ready for being trolled if those are the reasons you are trolling me for.

Frankly speaking, I loved season three. I know I was trolled for this season but that didn't bother me at all. I love working and I love being an actor. Golu is very different from who I am as a person. And twice I have gone into a spiral which has been a very dark space psychologically. Infact I had to seek therapy after playing Golu in this season. The character was very dark. I have worked with the makers and I feel they are so evolved. I have respect for them who believe in me. So now should I believe on them who believe in me as a girl, as a human, as an artist or the trolls? People have lost the decency to watch a slow show now. Mirzapur 3 was a slow burner, actually! I know people got used to a lot of shock value from Season 1 and 2 and that's why perhaps they found this one slow.

Well, I definitely was, because my director and writer were affected. Because they thought that I am getting so much hate and trolling online for my character in Season 3 because of them. But if you ask me, I don't read trolls and reviews from the release of my first film. That's how I function. People around me were more worried about my trolling for Mirzapur 3 and because they were so worried that I was affected for them. And yes, there are serious mental health issues cropping up because of the online trolling. However, my thing as a girl, as an artist is that I want to make a dent, and I did that by being a female bahubali. But if you ask me that, can we do something better? 100%. We will always try to do something better rather than taking it personally. I really think as a math equation maybe there weren't many wins as characters. But it's more helpful when it's more specific or it's more spelled out. Because as creators, we are not making a show for ourselves and trust me, all the feedback have been taken for Season 4 to make it even better.

The writing part is already on and once that's completed, we will start filming for the series soon.

I definitely want to see more of me. And I have attempted different characters in the past like in Kaalkoot, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and Made In Heaven. I want to be on set and I love working. I am addicted to being on set and working. So, in that sense yes, I might be underutilized but I have done a variety of roles in different projects.

Hardly! And I can't tell you how frustrating this waiting period is. Abhi toh industry hi so rahi hai as in industry ka lullaby chal raha hai. So many actor friends of mine are sitting at home. A lot of shows are on hold too because from what I understand there's a lot of content that has been made and not released. There are a lot of budget cuts in our industry. Plus, audience ko kya samajh aa raha hai kya nahi yeh bhi abhi samajh nahi aa raha hai. That's why there are some scripts that I'm developing on my own, which I want to produce.

TV ka saturation nahi aaya abhi tak toh OTT ka kahan aayega? My TV producer friends are making so much money with their shows. OTT is here to stay and so are other mediums.

Aajkal main kitabon mein kaafi zyada ghus chuki hoon. I am reading four books simultaneously. I am trying to shift to the online reading option, but I didn't enjoy that much. I love the feeling of carrying a book with myself, keeping it in my car and on my bedside. The only thing that is motivating me to switch to online reading is to save nature. I just want to do my part. As a kid, my father always emphasized on reading but at that time I didn't pay heed to his suggestion. But now when I know how important it is for me as an actor to read, I want to read as many books as possible. I feel so terrible for not reading for so many years and I now want to make up for the lost time by reading several recommended books simultaneously. I enjoy that now. Interestingly, people have been gifting me books and suggesting me several names of books.

Yes, all thanks to the one-minute reels that the generation today is addicted to on their mobile phones. The patience to not only watch longer videos but even books has gone down tremendously. We are so used to being distracted that we cannot stick to a single task of reading now.

Shweta Tripathi and Ali Fazal with Indian Women cricketers Deepti Sharma (L) and Saima (R)

In Lucknow after a very long time, actor Ali Fazal of Mirzapur fame, was on his first visit to his hometown after the birth of his daughter, to promote women’s cricket. Ali and wife Richa Chadha welcomed their first child, a beautiful baby girl, on July 16 this year and the hands-on dad shared about his sleepless nights and more during a freewheeling chat with us. Read on…

Lucknow’s visit, especially the college part where I was promoting women’s cricket, was chaotic but in a good way. I have been living in a compartment life. When the current season of Mirzapur came, Richa and I were heavily pregnant so kahin nikanlna hi nahi hua. Suddenly I came to Lucknow and received so much love from the people here and I am like this is real.

Thank you! I can’t wait to go back to her. Even during my work, I keep thinking of her. I am little-little obsessed with her now, but a good obsession. The whole process of fatherhood has been a spiritual experience. There has been so much learning during the process and I can say that I have now become a peaceful person. Aap andar se sulajh jaate ho aur usey shabdon mein bayaan karna thoda mushkil hai. And yes, I have had my share of sleepless nights too.

Mirzapur Season 2 mein bhi yahi hua tha. I get very tired at the end of the Mirzapur shooting. People commented that it was stretched but mere dimaag mein hamesha aise hi rehta hai ki bhai ki kahaani khiche nahi. But at the end of the day it is part three of a web series which has become a beast of its own kind. I remember part one did so well, and then part two pe humein itni gaaliyaan padi thi. Personally, I thought the second season was more stretched than the third one. The best part about Mirzapur is that everyone now has their own versions and despite the mixed reviews, this season has broken all records for OTT viewing. I still remember that the critics had full on criticized us actors after the first season, they had finished our acting careers and I thought ki shayad career hi change karna padega ab.

Well, ab mujhe apni filmon pe dhyaan dena hai. I am very happy with the other work that his happening in my life. Sometimes it gets a little difficult for me to balance work outside India and here.

Frankly speaking, we are not able to understand the loyalty for the surety of viewers. Woh surety kahan hai? Sometimes a big spectacle film will work, sometimes a very good script which is mounted well will work. I myself being a producer now am confused. As much as the OTT has given me so much fame, love and another direction to my career, I still pray every Friday that the films releasing in theatres work. We are not seeing as many releases as they were before the pandemic because the makers are scared now. Audiences too, some have evolved some have receded in terms of viewing. These are funny times for the entertainment industry. The whole superhero game is getting washed out. We need good scripts and we need to start championing writers. It is time to get writers back on posters to sell content. Woh daur jab writers ke naam pe films bikengi, log theatres ki taraf bhagengey. Because of OTT, the level of playing in the entertainment field became equivalent to the rest of the world.

Supporting UP Warriors team has been a great addition to my journey. I am glad that I can come on board and support these wonderful women who play cricket.

No and that’s the reason why women cricket is suffering. Abhi jaake shuruaat hui hai…kitne saal baad. The mentality of boys to include girls while playing cricket or any other sports needs to be seeded into them via our education system. Yeh inclusivity aa gayi toh khel ho jayega.

Actor Rasika Dugal returned as Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur 3. The latest season of the franchise, which released after a considerable gap in June, failed to get a strong response this time around. However, Dugal would much rather focus on the series’ loyal audience.

Ask why she isn’t too bothered about the lukewarm response and she replies, “When you have done three seasons of a show and have as loyal and committed an audience as that of Mirzapur, they own the show as much as you do,” adding, “Many loved season three and said commented how different it was from what they expected. Every kind of response is good and very welcome.”

A recent picture of Dugal and co-star Ali Fazal, who plays Guddu Pandit in the show, has left fans wondering whether it holds clues to the show’s next season. “I love that every post about Mirzapur sparks a conversation about what is to come,” says an amused Dugal, continuing, “It was a stylized take on the Guddu-Beena relationship. Does it hint at something to come? Anything can happen in Mirzapur.”

Dugal, who recently won the Diversity Champion award at Indian Film festival of Melbourne goes on to acknowledge the role festivals have played in her career. “The recognition I received at film festivals gave me the drive to push through challenging times. I value the festival space for nurturing new talent,” she ends.

In the past two months, Shweta Tripathi Sharma’s two series have been announced—the second season of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, and the third season of Mirzapur. Both shows have been widely popular since their inception.

That’s why it’s not surprising when the actor quips, “To me, these shows feel like long-term investment, just like FD [fixed deposit]. I invested well early on, and now, I get the benefits. It’s a safety net that keeps me comfortable. Shows like Mirzapur are improving with every season. That set is filled with creators, directors and writers who will sit with you and discuss scenes, dialogues and take your inputs.”

But Tripathi is far from satisfied just banking on these. Understandably, the artiste in her is hungry for challenging work. “People in our industry are always there to tell you what they feel will work. But I have never listened to them. It’s important to listen to your gut feeling. It is a noisy industry, so you can’t always hear your gut. Nawazuddin Siddiqui had told me early on in my career, ‘Always make sure you are enjoying yourself, and it’s a good thing to be choosy.’”

Being choosy comes at a price. Sharma is willing to pay it to build a career that she will be proud of. “It is frustrating because there will be months you won’t have work. On days, you’ll break down because you’re not on set.”

She cites the example of Kaalkoot (2023), pointing out how sometimes a well-made series too will go unnoticed. “Director Sumit Saxena gave me a brilliant show. It was poignant. It broke my heart that not enough people watched it.”

Actor M M Faruqui aka Lilliput says that playing gangster Dadda in the OTT series Mirzapur 2 (2020) earned him love and appreciation from the audience. However, it did not translate into work. “No one would imagine me playing a gangster. It gave me a second innings. I credit the vision of the writer to pen such a character and director to think of me. Unfortunately, it did not translate into work,” says the Sagar (1985) and Bunty Aur Babli (2005) actor.

He adds, “Since the ’80s, I have played memorable roles that are etched in the memory of the audience, and they have showered enormous love. Sadly, the industry, till date, has not been able to determine whether they should accept me as an actor-writer or as a dwarf. They don’t consider me for normal character roles. Why can’t the father of a normal height man be a short person? Thankfully, new-age makers are experimenting with me.”

Lilliput says he doesn’t “roam around for work”. After working for four decades, if I have proven myself, then I should get work on merit.”

His “outspoken nature” may also have hampered his prospects, he feels: “Now, we rarely have directors who get involved in the selection process. Casting people do that job. It’s frustrating to be without work, as that’s the only thing an actor knows, but kya kar sakte hain.”

This year, he has been seen in projects such as Acting Ka Bhoot, To Be Not To Be and Bajao. “I recently wrapped a web series helmed by Saurabh Tiwari. Mirzapur 3 will probably come early next year. So, kaam chal raha hai.”

The writer of the TV show Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993) and the film Chamatkar (1992) is no longer writing. “I stopped writing after TV serials became daily soaps,” the actor ends.

Pankaj Tripathi, known as a versatile performer, has expressed his desire to strike a better work-life balance. Amid his busy schedule, the actor has made the decision to limit himself to a maximum of “four film projects a year”, allowing him to focus on the quality of his work and personal development.

The 46-year-old shares, “I will complete Main Atal Hoon on July 7 and then on July 9, I will join the cast of Stree 2. I am shooting for 360 days in a year aur main asal zindagi mein itna vyast rehne wala aadmi nahi hoon.”

Tripathi attributes his ability to portray diverse characters to his background in theatre and is grateful that he has not been typecast. But, he acknowledges his limitations. “Acting is such an art ki aap utna hi kharch kar sakte ho jitna aapke andar jama hai. So, you need to refill your earnings (life experiences and observations) which I am not able to do at present,” says the actor, wishing to spend time with his family and a couple of months in his village doing farming.

Despite this newfound goal, Tripathi has an array of releases lined up. “I have around six projects slated for release this year, including OMG 2, Fukrey 3, Mirzapur 3, Murder Mubarak, Kadak Singh, Gulkunda Tales, Father and Metro... In Dino,” ends the actor, adding that “a gap of 15-20 days between projects is also important to prep better”.

Pankaj Tripathi has kept a low profile in the year so far. The actor admits that staying away from the limelight was a deliberate move. “Since I was seen a lot on screen over the last two years, it was a conscious decision to take a step back. I am a low-key person. I just work and head back home. I have many projects releasing in the second half of 2023. So, I thought it is better for me to keep it low-key in the first half of the year,” Tripathi tells us.

The 46-year-old adds that with projects like Gulkanda Tales, Mirzapur season 3, OMG 2, Fukrey 3, Murder Mubarak, Father and Metro... In Dino releasing this year, “work-wise, everything is on track”. Sharing what kept him busy, the actor says that contributing towards the development of his village, Belsand (Bihar), over the last few months gave him a lot of satisfaction:

“The school where I studied was a primary school. Since it has now become secondary, it needed some work. So, the principal reached out to me. That’s how I got involved in bettering its infrastructure. I also got a solar system installed.”

Tripathi adds, “The main reason for me to get involved was to inspire the students studying there. I also helped them build a library.”

The actor feels it’s his way of staying connected to his roots. “It was important for me to contribute towards the development of my village because my life’s foundation was laid there. Whenever I get time, I head to Belsand. My parents still stay there. Last year, I supervised the planting of 500 trees in the area with the help of the local authorities. It gave me satisfaction,” he ends.

Since the success of Death On The Nile (2022), Ali Fazal has been on a signing spree. From Kandahar, co-starring Gerard Butler and helmed by American director Ric Roman Waugh, and Khufiya with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj to Life In A Metro 2 with director Anurag Basu and the third season of Mirzapur — the actor has his hands full. Ask if it’s a conscious choice to be seen more and Fazal admits that he’s been “too brash in rejecting a lot of offers”.

He says, “Over the last few months, I have been told that I should be seen more and that I should say yes to everything that comes my way. People tell me, ‘Baad mein nahin aaega’. But, I crave good stories. And by that, I don’t mean those tailor-made for me, but just projects that are made well, so that I can find myself in them.”

Working with some of the biggest names in India and Hollywood could be intimidating, but not for Fazal. In fact, he admits that collaborating with big names from the film fraternity helps him hone his craft.

“Working with big actors doesn’t intimidate me. In fact, they make my job easy. For me, it’s like entering a playschool with lots of toys. I feel like a kid and I like to play around. These people give me wings to fly higher. But how to play the game, the right moves to be made and the expectation in audiences’ minds intimidate me, at times,” the Tadka (2022) actor admits.

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old shares that he is looking forward to Mirzapur 3. Calling the series the most “difficult one, because it’s been a different one”, the actor adds, “I say this because I am really invested in it. Also, I haven’t been a part of other shows in this long form. It takes a lot out of me. I admire everybody who manages to do multiple seasons of a show. As for this season, I would say that it has been rather adventurous. But part two was harder and more emotionally draining for me.”

Actor Rasika Dugal hasn’t done a lot of OTT projects lately. She just had one release last year, Delhi Crime – Season 2. But she’s not fretting about her absence. “Achha kaam karne mein time lagta hai. I don’t feel any pressure of churning out work speedily. Good things take time and I respect that style of working. In my opinion, one release of a good show like Delhi Crime in a year is worth many,” says Dugal, who turns 38 today.

However, the actor is excited about the projects that are lined up for release this year. “I experimented with a variety of genres last year. Now, I am excited to see how they will be received. There is a sports drama series, a supernatural thriller series, a dark comedy thriller, an improvised film and a dramedy. Among the ongoing work, there is Mirzapur Season 3, which always receives love from the audience and I am sure we won’t disappoint them in this season either,” says Dugal.

Ask how she plans to celebrate her birthday, and the actor says, “This birthday will be open to improvisation. But a walk around different parts of Mumbai that I haven’t visited for a while is on the list. I might start with a walk through Sassoon Dock, checking out an ongoing art festival.”

With the ongoing phase of cinema offering actors the chance to explore a diverse range of characters, the opportunity to play the same role over and over again may seem unappealing. But, for Mirzapur actor Rasika Dugal, returning to play the role of Beena, the daughter-in-law of a powerful family who uses manipulation to topple patriarchy in the male-dominated world of gangsters, has been a fulfilling experience.

Being able to sink her teeth into the part implies that Dugal was able to pull off her role with more authority. She says, “Our director, Gurmmeet Singh, understands all the characters so well that it is a pleasure to work with him. Because of him, I can explore all the facets of this character, instead of looking at her superficially.”

With her rapport with her co-actors already established, Dugal was able to enjoy the process of enacting the part, this time around.

“It’s interesting for me to see the way in which a scene shapes up in comparison to how it was visualized during the reading session. Since we are in sync with our characters, the initial [apprehension] of working with someone was not prevalent. We know our way with each other. I am particularly excited to see how a scene with Pankaj ji [Tripathi] has turned out. On paper, it didn’t seem much, but while shooting it, it felt truly dark; there was interesting chemistry between us, and these are moments that you look out for as an actor. They cannot be designed or plotted in a vanity van. Such scenes just surprise you.” she says.

A few days ago we had revealed details about the big Bollywood wedding that’s all set to happen at the end of the month. Now we have it that Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are all set to tie the knot on October 6 followed by a reception on October 7 in Mumbai.

Prior to that, pre-wedding ceremonies will commence on September 29 and go on till October 2 at a spot near Delhi. The elaborate wedding will have four well-known fashion designers who will be putting together Richa’s outfits for the various ceremonies.

While the wedding will be a close-knit affair with just the couple’s immediate family and close friends in attendance, the reception will have their friends from the film industry joining in the celebrations.

Richa is currently shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi in Film City, Mumbai while Ali is busy with Mirzapur 3 in Varanasi. The couple will wrap up their shoots by mid-September, after which they will fully dive into their wedding preparations.

Putting the speculations to rest, it can now be confirmed that Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha will get married in Mumbai in the first week of October in a two-day ceremony — an intimate wedding followed by a grand reception. Both functions will happen at a south Mumbai hotel. While the wedding will be a close-knit affair with just the couple’s immediate family and close friends in attendance, the reception will have their friends from the film industry joining in the celebrations.

The pre-wedding festivities will begin at a venue near Delhi at the end of September and continue for three days. There will be a three-day gap between the Delhi and Mumbai events so that the family can take a breather.

Interestingly, the couple has chosen a royal heritage fort property near the Delhi-Jaipur highway, a three-hour drive from the capital, for their pre-wedding events. The heritage palace will host the couple, their families and extended families from Delhi, Lucknow and the ones settled abroad. Ali’s grandmother will fly down from Canada to attend the Delhi and Mumbai ceremonies. The celebration at the heritage property will include sangeet and mehendi ceremonies as well as a cocktail party.

After three days, the action will move to Mumbai, where the couple will tie the knot in an intimate ceremony, followed by a grand reception with around 400 guests. A quirky ‘save the date’ invite has already been sent out. While Richa is currently shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi in Film City, Mumbai, Ali is busy with Mirzapur 3 in Varanasi. They are slated to wrap up their work by mid-September, after which they will dive deep into their wedding preparations.

Ali and Richa, who have been in a relationship for many years, were to get married in April 2020, but their plan went awry due to the pandemic. They initially felt that if the situation improved, they could tie the knot by the end of 2020. However, in a tragic turn of events, Ali’s mother passed away on June 17, 2020, in Lucknow. Given the circumstances, the couple decided to move the wedding ahead until things seemed better logistically, also adhering to the health and safety factor.

In a previous chat, when their wedding was postponed, Richa had told Bombay Times, “We would not like to endanger anyone due to our celebration. It is only wise to wait. This was inevitable. There’s nothing we could do to control this, so we took a sensible decision.”

Ali had said, “Of course, it is disheartening because we were all geared up, and preparations were in full swing, but it is fine. The idea is to celebrate our special day with people close to us — our friends and family. Once things settle down and when the time is right, hopefully, we will come back, and everyone will celebrate with us.”

It looks like the new, post-pandemic world is ready to celebrate another big Bollywood shaadi.

Originally, a 2020 summer wedding was on the cards. That was not to be due to the lockdown. Now, after two years of pandemic and three rounds of delays, it’s finally time for Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal to tie the knot. A hush-hush shaadi isn’t their style; the couple are setting the stage for a big, fat wedding in Delhi, with the pre-wedding festivities kicking off on September 27.

“Ali’s grandmother and cousins will fly in from Canada next week to join in the festivities. It will be a week-long affair, starting with mehendi, sangeet and cocktail, leading up to the wedding. The actor duo will also host a grand reception in the capital for their family and friends. They are expecting a turnout of about 200 guests,” reveals a source.

Soon after, they will fly down to Mumbai for their next round of revelry with their industry friends. The source adds, “The plan was always to have two receptions. The Mumbai do will witness close to 450 guests, including their actor and filmmaker friends.”

The bride-to-be was keen that all functions, including their D-Day, have an old-world charm to them. Keeping the theme in mind, the couple have skipped five-star hotels, instead looking at beautiful heritage properties. “Ali and Richa have personally shortlisted five heritage properties in Mumbai and Delhi — one of them in south Mumbai — after extensive recces over the past two months. They will zero in on the final venues this weekend. The wedding will have a retro theme. They will also hire an external security agency to avoid instances of trespassing by the paparazzi. Guests will be screened for Coronavirus at the entrance, thus ensuring everyone’s safety.”

While the couple will have their final trousseau fittings this week, it is heard that they will wear outfits by local designers, particularly Lucknowi artisans, thus promoting their craft. 

With Chadha shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi and Fazal busy with Mirzapur 3, the duo may have to forgo their honeymoon for now. “They will only take a two-week break for the prep and the functions. After the Mumbai reception, they will take the weekend off before reporting back to work.”

On Monday, the Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union (FSSAMU) publicly accused Excel Entertainment’s Ritesh Sidhwani of non-payment of dues to 300 daily-wage workers who served in the production design team of 'Mirzapur 3'. The FSSAMU claimed that the production house has outstanding dues of Rs 20-25 lakh as it has not paid the daily wagers from May 2022, while continuing to employ their services as the web series was shot across several studios in Mumbai, and Benares.

The letter, which was released to the media, states that the workers are additionally made to work “for extended hours that go beyond the permissible limits as per the provision in the labour law.” It also alleged that they are not provided with quality food or adequate seating provisions on the set. Gangeshwar Srivastav, general secretary, FSSAMU, claims that the association had shot off three letters to Excel Entertainment, the first on May 30, bringing to light their grievances.

Shrivastav adds, “Over 300 daily wagers have been working on the Mirzapur 3 sets since May. It has been over three months since they have been paid. We didn’t get any response [to our letters] from the production house. After we released the letter to the media, Excel contacted us and promised to settle the dues in 48 hours, but we want that in writing.”

Non-payment of dues appears to be a frequent issue in the film industry. Rakesh Maurya, treasurer, FSSAMU, claims that Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment too has outstanding fees, but it recently settled Rs 30 lakh of the dues. “We are in talks with Pooja Entertainment, but Excel didn’t respond to our letters. If the payments are not made soon, we can request the workers to start a non-cooperation movement.”

When mid-day reached out to Excel Entertainment, it issued a statement, which read: “This is the first time we are being made aware about such a complaint raised by the union. We would like to further [state] that the FSSAMU has not reached out to Excel through letters, e-mails or phone calls. Excel currently has seven to eight projects under production, and none of these projects have any non-payment-related issues. For the past 22 years of us being in the business, we have never come across any non-payment complaints. Excel has a strict payment compliance policy whereby we directly make payments to daily-wage workers and not to any union. We will investigate this matter from our end. We would like to mention that Excel enjoys a stellar reputation in the industry for treating all collaborators with equal respect and dignity.”

Last month, mid-day had reported that the third season of Mirzapur will roll in Mumbai by June-end (Back to guns, gore and grit, June 13). While the cast — led by Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Shweta Tripathi Sharma — have begun shooting for the crime drama in Film City, Fazal aka Guddu bhaiya is simultaneously in prep mode. We hear the actor is picking up the basics of wrestling to do justice to the heavy-duty action that has been woven into the script.

Mirzapur has always focused on action, with chase sequences and gun battles being a mainstay in the series. But creators Karan Anshuman and Puneet Krishna are keen to up the ante for the upcoming season that will see Fazal’s character locking horns with Kaleen bhaiya and his henchmen.

A source reveals that when Fazal read the script, he decided to forgo body doubles, thus ensuring that the action set-pieces look authentic. “Ali has been training in wrestling for the past four weeks. He does five sessions a week. The wrestling moves will be woven into the action sequences. He has also bulked up for the role.”

While the actor is currently filming dramatic sequences, the action scenes will be canned later in the stint.  

Besides the crime drama, Fazal will soon be seen in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya, and the international film, Kandahar, with Gerard Butler.

For Shweta Tripathi Sharma, this year is all about exploring new things, and working non-stop. She tells us, “My agenda for 2021 is to be a student. I’ve started taking ballet and contemporary [dance] lessons. I’ll learn chess too, and plan to travel... I want to take up things I always wanted to learn but didn’t have the time or resources for. I’ve been interested in doing voice-overs for ads and short films, now I want to make audiobooks.”

She’s currently shooting for an untitled web series and will be seen in a cameo in the film Rashmi Rocket. “Then there’s Gone Game season 2, Mirzapur 3, and Escaype Live. There are a few short films and feature films on my plate, too” shares the busy actor, who agrees that the web and its array of opportunities have been a boon for many. However, she’s not oblivious to the fact that with big stars venturing into digital space, there’s a concern over them getting more preference.

Sharma, 35, reacts, “Stars hold a special place in the hearts of the audience. And web is also creating stars. Par hum kisi bhi story se bade nahin hain. This has been proven in 2020... People only look out for good narratives and performances. They aren’t bothered whether you’re a star kid, star or newcomer.”