Amruta Khanvilkar gets candid about how she bagged an action role in Taskaree

Amruta Khanvilkar

Amruta Khanvilkar was originally signed on for a six-day cameo in Neeraj Pandey's upcoming Netflix series, Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web. But clearly, she walked in and changed the plan. During auditions, the director asked her to perform a new scene on the spot - and minutes later, she bagged a meatier role. "When I performed the scene, Neeraj sir said, ‘Amruta, we want to cast you for a bigger role we have.' That's how I landed Mitali's character," she recalls.

Pandey also asked her if she could pull off action. Khanvilkar admitted she didn't know stunts - but she is a dancer and understood rhythm. She said, "‘Sir, if you teach me choreography, I can do it in half an hour.' They gave me an action sequence, which I did with the action master. People were surprised."

Emraan Hashmi in ‘Taskaree'

Within days, she grew confident - perhaps a bit too confident. She reveals that she injured both a stuntman and herself while filming. "In the beginning, you are alert and conscious because you are new to [action]. Slowly, I got a little overconfident, and I punched a stuntman, his jaw got hurt and my hand swelled up like a balloon. I cried for 15 minutes, then I put on boxing gloves and performed a kickboxing scene with the swollen hand."

Neeraj Pandey

Bruises aside, she says she had a blast on set. The actor adds that Emraan Hashmi's humility, despite his massive fan following, made it easier for everyone to bond. "It is great to have an actor who is so grounded. He is unbothered about the baggage that comes with his fame, success, and fan following. [That's why] you can joke and have a conversation with him. That chemistry always shows," she smiles.