The crime drama ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ is garnering praise for its plot and storytelling. Starring Emraan Hashmi and Amruta Khanvilkar and among others, the series has quickly become an audience favourite. In a recent interview, Khanvilkar opened up about what made her say yes to the project.
Why did Amruta Khanvilkar choose ‘Taskaree’?
In an interview with Mid-day, Amruta Khanvilkar shared that she always looks for characters that truly matter to the story. She believes a role should add weight to the narrative, not just fill space. Explaining her mindset, she said, “Today, every director and writer has their own signature, as to how they want to write a script, their story, how they want to tell it. That is very important for me. Will this story move forward if my character is absent? If it does, then my character is not important. That’s a basic rule. I need to add value to the script,” she asserts.Khanvilkar also spoke about how casting can sometimes feel like a gamble, but strong creators make that risk worth it. She said, “I cannot trust anybody; it’s a little gamble you play with yourself. But when makers like Neeraj Pandey etch out characters and do justice to them, it is amazing. He doesn’t add characters just for the heck of it,” the actor maintains.
On playing a strong single mother
In the series, Amruta Khanvilkar plays a customs officer who is also a single mother. Her character feels fearless and self-sufficient. She fights her own battles and doesn’t wait for rescue. The show even features her doing hand-to-hand combat while others stay on standby. When asked about her inspiration, Amruta gave an emotional answer and credited her mother’s strength. She said, “Of course, my mom is not someone who will kick somebody’s a**. But just the way she’s lived her life like an iron woman.”
About and who else stars
‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ explores the dangerous world of international smuggling through key routes across Al-Dera, Addis Ababa, Milan, and Bangkok. At the centre of it all is a specialised customs task force operating from Mumbai International Airport, tackling coded operations, fake documents, and calculated deception. Along with Emraan Hashmi and Amruta Khanvilkar, the show also features Nandish Singh Sandhu, Zoya Afroz, Anurag Sinha, and Sharad Kelkar. The series is currently streaming on Netflix.
