For Shriya Pilgaonkar, slipping into the skin of a no-nonsense cop named Devika was not just another role—it was a deep dive into nuance, instinct, and subtle strength. In her latest outing with director Ajay Bhuyan and Juggernaut Productions, the actor plays a police officer investigating secrets simmering beneath the glossy surface of a destination wedding. But what sets Devika apart is what Pilgaonkar calls her “gentle sharpness.”
EXCLUSIVE: “Devika is sharp without being aggressive”: Shriya Pilgaonkar on playing a unique cop in her latest series Chhal Kapat
“What fascinated me is that Devika does not try and get her job done through aggression,” Shriya says, thoughtfully. “She’s very shrewd, discerning, and sharp, without being aggressive. There is this gentle sharpness about her. She’s observant and witty—and people are almost afraid of being exposed because she can read through them so well.”
Pilgaonkar says Devika’s strength lies in her intuition rather than in loud declarations of power—a refreshing departure from the stereotypical on-screen portrayals of female cops.
“She’s not easily gullible. She’s soft-spoken, no-nonsense, and wants to get the job done fast. We kept her femininity intact and yet showed her as someone extremely smart and capable.”
Working again with Ajay Bhuyan—with whom she had collaborated earlier on an unreleased series—was a seamless process. Shriya shares that the experience on set was “enriching and a lot of fun,” particularly because of the collaborative environment created by the team, including producer Samar Khan and a writing team that included strong female voices.
“Ajay Sir and I had previously worked together, and I already knew how easy and collaborative he is to work with. The atmosphere on set was incredibly supportive and creative,” she recalls. “Having female writers was especially important, since the story is largely told through a woman’s gaze.”
The series, shot within an intense schedule of less than a month, proved to be one of the most fast-paced productions she has experienced. With multi-camera setups and long takes, the shooting style demanded precision and stamina.
“This was probably the fastest shoot I’ve ever been part of. We had to pack a lot into a short timeframe, and that’s where my theatre background really helped,” she shares. “These extended takes required us to stay in the moment and maintain energy throughout. It was hectic, but incredibly rewarding.”
Pilgaonkar also speaks fondly of the location shoot, which began unusually—with the climax.
“We jumped straight into filming the climax sequences. That was definitely a challenge, emotionally anchoring ourselves from the get-go,” she says. “We shot in Panchgani and Mumbai, and I even celebrated my birthday on set!”
One of the standout aspects of the role for Shriya was developing Devika’s body language. “I enjoy working on those finer details to make a character feel authentic,” she adds, noting how the interrogation scenes became a personal highlight thanks to the creative freedom she was given.
Looking back at the whirlwind shoot, Shriya is grateful for the experience and the layered character she got to embody. With Devika, she brings forth a version of a female cop rarely seen on Indian screens—sharp, soft-spoken, and deeply intuitive.
“To make a character believable without relying on clichés—that’s always the challenge,” she says. “And with Devika, I really got to explore that balance.”
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