With Taskaree, director Raghav Jairath has introduced the world of customs officers at the Mumbai airport to the forefront. In an exclusive chat with Filmfare, Raghav talks about the research that fuelled the series, his relationship with his mentor Neeraj Pandey, and what makes Emraan Hashmi a director’s delight.
The idea for Taskaree didn’t come from a single incident, but from hours of research. Raghav shares that the team at Friday Film Works often meets with real-life bureaucrats and intelligence officers. He explained, “We cross the airport all the time and feel relaxed, not knowing what is happening to our bags or what is being scanned.” During his research, he found a surprising motive for smuggling. He said, “A lot of people do it for the thrill. I remember one person from a very wealthy family who didn’t need the money, but he loved the adrenaline of walking through the green channel without getting caught.”
Raghav credits much of his success to his mentor, Neeraj Pandey. Having worked together since the film Baby, Raghav describes their bond as a “Guru-shishya” relationship. One of the biggest lessons he learned was the power of silence in a scene. He shared, “”He’s a brilliant teacher. He allows you to think freely and make mistakes. Even if a mistake happens, he’ll just say we’ll figure it out in the next one. That discipline and prep are what make our sets so efficient.”
A major reason for the show’s success is Emraan Hashmi’s performance as Arjun Meena. Raghav describes the actor as a director’s delight. He said, “He prepares a lot, but he does it quietly. Every take he gives is different, yet he remembers exactly what he did in the previous one. The most beautiful thing is that you don’t see Emraan on screen, you only see the character. He wouldn’t even go back to his van between shots, he’d stay on set just to keep the feel of the scene.”
The chemistry between the leads, Emraan, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Nandish Sandhu was so strong that the crew called them the Trimurti. Raghav mentions that their real-life friendship made the scenes feel authentic. On the other hand, casting Sharad Kelkar as the villain, Baba Choudhury, was an easy choice. He mentioned, “Sharad’s presence is so strong. He doesn’t need to be loud to be terrifying. His voice and his body language do all the work. You haven’t seen him like this before.”
With the show’s success, fans are already asking for a second season or a cinematic universe. While Raghav says there are lots of secrets still hidden in airport corridors, he is currently focused on exploring new genres like fantasy and drama. He concluded saying, “Until I have that voice inside me about why I am telling a story, I’ll never be true to it. I want the audience to feel the same emotion I felt while making it.”
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