“I had a Kagemusha ready, but in the end I ended up doing all the stunts myself.”

After being one of the superstars of the small screen, actor Drashti Dhami has now made quite a name for herself on the big screen as well. The actor has appeared in multiple shows ranging from big-budget ventures like Disney+ Hotstar’s The Empire to glamorous blockbusters. A thriller like Duranga on Zee5.

And speaking of the latter, the series is poised to return with Season 2, and was always set to do so thanks to the amazing cliffhanger that ended the show in Season 1. In an exclusive conversation, Dami continued: She reveals her character arc, the similarities between her and her character Ira Patel, and whether she drew inspiration for the action sequences.

Q. How does your character arc grow from Season 1 to Season 2?

I think the characters became more interesting from Season 1 to Season 2. She wants to know the truth behind the serial murders and whether her husband is behind the incidents. But she wants him to give her the benefit of the doubt, and I think she wants answers about what’s going on.

Q. The character of Ira Patel is someone who juggles between work and family. What are the similarities between Drashti Dhami and Ira Patel?

I’ve been able to create a very beautiful balance between work and family. Family is as important to me as work. And I think my character Ilar is very similar in that respect. Because even she puts her family first and so do I.

Q. In this series, you fight against thugs to protect your husband. Did you attend any workshops or draw inspiration from anyone when performing the action sequences?

No, I work out regularly and I’m a hardcore hardcore, so that was the only training I got. And of course my stunts were choreographed. I didn’t know if I could do it, so I had Kagemusha on standby, but in the end I shot everything myself.

Duranga season 2 posters have started doing the rounds, but the release date of the season has not been confirmed yet.

Also read: Review: Drashti Dhami and Gulshan Devaiya deliver career-best performance in thoroughly gluttonous ‘Duranga’