The makers of Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web unveiled the trailer of the upcoming web series at an event held in Mumbai on Wednesday. Directed by Neeraj Pandey, the series features an ensemble cast including Emraan Hashmi, Amruta Khanvilkar, Sharad Kelkar, Nandish Sandhu and Zoya Afroz among others. During the launch, the cast and creators shared insights into the show and spoke about what audiences can expect from the crime thriller.
Speaking about his character Arjun Meena, Emraan Hashmi chose to keep details under wraps. “I don’t want to give away much about my character right now. I want the audience to experience it for themselves,” he said. On the writing of the show, the actor added that Taskaree is packed with surprises. “The way the show has been written is very interesting. There are many unexpected moments built into its DNA. It’s a thriller, and Neeraj ji is known as a master of the genre. There are a lot of strong cliffhangers throughout the series,” he said.
Amruta Khanvilkar, who is making her action debut with the series, described her character as a tough, street-smart Mumbai woman. “I play a badass Mumbai girl who works in customs and can read people instantly,” she shared. Speaking about the preparation involved, Amruta added that the role required extensive physical training. “This is the first time I have done action, and there was a lot of physical preparation involved,” she said.
Sharad Kelkar revealed that two key factors convinced him to take on the role of the antagonist. “The first is Neeraj Pandey, and the second is the story. Both are among the best in this genre,” he said.
Nandish Sandhu, opening up about his character, said it was layered and emotionally driven. “Every person is slightly conflicted within themselves. The character I play works in a space that demands intelligence and strategy, but he is also big-hearted. The way Neeraj sir has presented all the characters makes it a pleasure to watch,” he said.
Neeraj Pandey addressed the challenges of making the series and said that tackling difficulties is part of the creative process. “Challenges are always welcome in our line of work. Without them, it would be boring. This world was unexplored, exciting and engaging. We had a tight team focused on telling the best story possible, and it was a fun ride for all of us,” he said.
The filmmaker also drew laughter when he jokingly remarked, “Making a family show with Emraan Hashmi is quite a challenge, and we managed to pull that off.” Emraan took the comment in good humour and quipped, “I also controlled myself for the show,” leaving the audience in splits.
Taskaree is about a dedicated customs officer and his team taking on a notorious smuggler leading a syndicate, but unexpected obstacles threaten their mission. It will release on Netflix on January 14.
