For a mainstream series led by a big star, Daldal, the recently released crime thriller series, makes many unconventional choices. For one, the makers — creator Suresh Triveni and director Amrit Raj Gupta — opt for a languid, slow-burner pace, and prefer to chalk out the narrative as a 'howdunit' rather than a whodunit, also choosing a storytelling style that’s more visual than verbal, often going for mood over plot.
For Bhumi Pednekar, who plays the lead figure of DCP Rita Ferreira in the series, the role brought along a unique set of challenges, where she had to follow the mantra of ‘less is more.’ The actor recalls feeling insecure about her performance many times on set. She says, “I was constantly told ‘do less.’ You begin feeling like ‘Am I not doing enough?’ But I was just told one thing by Suresh: you just have to free-fall. I did exactly that.” The actor also acknowledges the significance of teamwork for a series like Daldal and credits Suresh and team for handling her role with care. “A lot of the responsibility is on the director, the mood they create, the way the camera moves, or how it’s edited, which also helps communicate what the character is feeling. I took this show only because I knew that my character would be protected here,” she adds.
Suresh Triveni, the creator and co-scriptwriter for the series, had his priorities clear. “Whatever goes out has to be cinematic,” he says. The Tumhari Sulu director agrees that the crime-drama has been explored a lot in the contemporary entertainment landscape, and hence, there is a greater need to have stories driven by characters instead. “I am a strong believer that if you're hooked onto a character and their newness, you will want to see their entire journey and what happens to them, irrespective of the pacing or other factors. You can't take shortcuts just to follow the trend,” he says. Amrit Raj Gupta, who has previously helmed shows like Gullak and Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, agrees with Suresh. “Be it my previous shows or Daldal, they are all about the characters. Even in a film with a strong story, you will remember the characters more than the story. This show is also about these people, what goes on in their minds, what happened in their childhood, and how it affects their present.”
Besides Bhumi, the show also features stellar performances from young actors Samara Tijori and Aditya Rawal, both of whom are surprisingly insightful in their portrayal of trauma and internalised violence that manifests in macabre forms. Samara, who has earlier worked in projects like Masoom and Bob Biswas, recalls her unique audition process for the series. “It was an introduction where you’re basically having a conversation with your character. So I had to create a lot of Anita on my own beforehand. There was no reference point for Anita, but I had a lot of her on paper to work with,” she says. For Samara, prepping for the part also meant a lot of research, which sometimes even got emotionally exhausting, she admits. “I would sit and discuss every little thing with Amrit during readings, because I knew I had to make her real and believable. In a way, playing Anita also helped me express a lot of myself,” she notes.
Daldal goes into the city’s underbelly, portraying a dark image of the world it centres on. Aditya, who plays the role of Sajid, brings notice to the other side of the story. He recalls an early conversation with Suresh, before they began shooting. “Sajid is a guy torn between the two possibilities of life. Despite going through so much, he still has two avenues ahead, one towards freedom and the other a maelstrom of emotions that’s feeding his addiction. The decisions he makes form the narrative for him. The show is actually life-affirming and hopeful in a way.”
There hasn’t been a dearth of crime-driven thrillers on OTT. Despite being explored in every form possible, the genre continues to be the most-watched. What makes the genre so pulpy, we ask the Daldal team. Bhumi is quick to respond. “It's literally something that's the farthest from anybody's reality. Nobody wants to go through any of those experiences or wants to be in that world. It’s a complex genre.”
At the same time, it’s important to reinvent the narrative, and Bhumi believes Daldal has achieved that part. “It’s a genre which captures how twisted the human mind is — jiski bahut achchi jhalki aap aise genre mein dekhte ho (you get a good glimpse of that element in this genre). It’s also something that challenges your intelligence,” she concludes.