Actress Rasika Dugal has carved a unique niche in the Indian digital entertainment space, simultaneously captivating audiences on two major streaming platforms. She delivered a performance filled with malice in Amazon Prime Video's Mirzapur and followed it up by showcasing immense grit in Netflix's critically acclaimed series Delhi Crime. In a candid conversation, she opened up about her process, the evolution of her characters, and her remarkable journey.
The Emotional Core of ACP Neeti Singh in Delhi Crime Season 3
Reprising her role as ACP Neeti Singh for the third season of Delhi Crime, Dugal faced the challenge of portraying a character navigating a personal divorce alongside complex police duties. Her approach, however, steers clear of simply 'playing an emotion.' "The joy in the work is to try and create a world around the character you are playing," she explained. For Dugal, it's about equipping herself with experiences and knowledge to build that character's reality, leaving the final magic to the director's vision and the moment between 'action' and 'cut.'
A cornerstone of her preparation has been a real-life connection she has maintained since the show's inception. "I have been shadowing the same police officer since Season 1. I go back to meet her every season," Dugal revealed. This seven-year relationship, starting from filming in January 2018, has profoundly shaped her understanding. It familiarized her with police protocol and offered genuine insight into an officer's unpredictable life, where a mundane neighbourly spat can be followed by a intense murder interrogation hours later.
Details, Fan Love, and the Strength of Delhi Crime
Dugal cherishes the detailed feedback from attentive fans. Her favourite is a subtle callback—'the shrug'—shared between Neeti and colleague Devinder (played by Aakash Dahiya). Introduced in their first meeting in Season 1, the gesture was consciously included in every subsequent season by Dugal, Dahiya, and director Tanuj Chopra. "In Delhi Crime Season 3, you’ll find it in a very moving moment when they meet for the last time," she shared, thrilled that many viewers noticed this nuanced detail.
She believes the series' power lies in its "ability to balance the chase to solve a case with the telling of seemingly smaller stories" that reflect societal attitudes, especially towards women. Fan reactions have ranged from the profound—"Neeti is the beating heart of this season"—to the hilariously accurate observation that the cast sometimes looks more like police than real officers.
From Humble Beginnings to OTT Stardom
Reflecting on her early career with films like Anwar, No Smoking, and Aurangzeb, Dugal cherishes the encouragement from directors during her "blink-and-miss roles across 14 films." That feedback gave her the confidence to power through the "endless rejections" that were a daily staple. She recalls sharing a Mumbai flat with four FTII batchmates, all hustling for work and laughing their way through frequent rejections despite the financial struggles of the city.
While her film work in projects like Manto, Hamid, and Lootcase was diverse, the world of web series brought her a wider audience. The back-to-back success of Mirzapur and Delhi Crime showcased her extreme versatility, from the deliciously devious Beena Tripathi to the steadfast ACP Neeti Singh. "Beena allows me to go to places I wouldn't allow myself to go to. I live vicariously through her," Dugal stated, crediting writer Puneet Krishna for the iconic character's depth. Both series continue to command fiercely loyal audiences, cementing Rasika Dugal's status as a powerhouse performer in the OTT era.
