Shweta Basu Prasad: Every time I work with Pankaj Tripathi, I make mental notes

Shweta Basu Prasad

As a viewer, Shweta Basu Prasad thoroughly enjoyed Criminal Justice. So, it was a delight when the makers approached her to join the cast of its third season, Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach. She says, "I have seen the previous seasons, and I am aware of its popularity. I loved this script. That's my first criterion because I am an audience first, and then an actor. I should be able to convince myself that I want to watch this. It was a water-tight script with pockets of comic relief. It speaks about the complexities of urban life and the way kids are being brought up."

A still from the show

This time around, the Disney+ Hotstar offering presents a twisted case - after popular child star Zara Ahuja is found murdered, her brother Mukul Ahuja becomes the prime accused. Prasad's lawyer character Lekha locks horns with the defendant's counsel Madhav Mishra, essayed by Pankaj Tripathi. In her first brush with courtroom dramas, Prasad says, "Courtroom dramas give you the space for long monologues that I love. I think courtroom dramas [represent] a primitive [side of us] because legal battles bring out your best as well as your ugly side."

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The biggest highlight of the project was obviously working with Tripathi. She may have shared screen space with the actor earlier, but his command over his craft continues to bowl her over. "Every time I work with him, I make mental notes. I pick up [little nuances] from his performances because one can learn so much from him."