IANS Exclusive: Raghav M Jairath on 'Taskaree' | Real-Life Inspiration | Emraan Hashmi

Mumbai: Exclusive Interview with director Raghav M Jairath, where he offered an insightful look into crime thriller series 'Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web'. He revealed the intense research and real-life inspiration behind the series. After that, he shared how authentic incidents, disciplined storytelling, and respect for uniformed officers shaped the narrative. Then, he discussed balancing realism with drama, working closely with Neeraj Pandey, and crafting layered characters portrayed by Emraan Hashmi and Zoya Afroz.

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Transcript

00:00Radhaji, first of all, welcome to all the clients.

00:03And the most important thing is that Taskari, this encounter,

00:06where it is a very real result of heavy speed.

00:09So, what was the starting point of this project?

00:12A real incident of this character or police hunting ecosystem?

00:22So, Taskari, I think, when I was involved,

00:25I had written a lot of stories.

00:28But I think curiosity was created by the whole ecosystem.

00:32Because the airports are quite cross,

00:34when we go to the shoots, etc.

00:36So, when we cross this area,

00:38there is a lot of time waiting for the baggages to check.

00:41So, there was a curiosity.

00:43There is always an incident in front of us,

00:45sometimes there is checking,

00:47sometimes there are bags open,

00:49and everyone goes to see them.

00:51So, that ecosystem was very interesting for us to see.

00:54And in the script,

00:56we see all the things we see,

00:58all the things we see are real.

01:00I mean, all the things we see are real.

01:02All the things we see are real.

01:04The way people take the smuggling,

01:06whether they have gold or drugs.

01:08I think, Taskari,

01:09we will always stay here.

01:12Maybe we will always bring us a mobile phone,

01:14or maybe we will always bring us a duty-free,

01:16or maybe we will be doing some extra.

01:18So, when we look at all these things,

01:20we are very curious.

01:21So, curiosity was the main thing

01:22to build this ecosystem.

01:24And in the company,

01:25we have done the rest of the shows,

01:27like Khaki.

01:28So, there was also the police officers' life,

01:31regional, state-wise,

01:33we were very curious.

01:35Same thing for Taskari.

01:36The ecosystem of the customs department,

01:39was very curious.

01:41And we thought,

01:42let's tell the story of the customs department.

01:44You have first heard the secrets of the customs department.

01:48So, how do you balance the non-fiction,

01:50and the fiction and the dramatic framework with the non-fiction,

01:53how do you balance it?

01:54So, what do you do with the authenticity,

01:55and what do you do with the storytelling?

01:57So, what do you do with the documentaries?

02:00It is deeply deep in your research.

02:02But before the documentaries,

02:04also, I have been working with Neerat sir for the last 10-12 years.

02:08And even as an associate director with him,

02:11we were always interested in research.

02:15Whether it was special ops,

02:16whether it was Khaki,

02:17whether it was any film.

02:19So, the documentary helped us

02:22to go deeper into the research,

02:24and to keep the truth in front of it.

02:26But in an entertaining manner.

02:28So, the documentary was also related to history.

02:31But the main thing was,

02:33how do we keep this history from outside?

02:35How do we keep this entertaining way,

02:36and how do we keep it in a thrilling way?

02:37How do we keep it in a sense?

02:38How do we keep it in a sense?

02:39How do we keep it in a sense?

02:40So, when we come to Tazkari,

02:41the same thing,

02:44I think, will be replicated.

02:45It was more of an extension.

02:47So, I still think that from fiction and non-fiction,

02:49I think that the same thing is the same.

02:52But yes, when you go into fiction,

02:54things get different.

02:55Because now you have actors and actors who are following the characters.

03:00So through them, we will speak our research through them.

03:03We basically recreate all of those things and then we tell the story of Tuskari.

03:17Actually, there were a lot of incidents that were shocking.

03:20For example, there is a scene where I have a character of Swatikar who is taking drugs in your stomach.

03:27So the most interesting thing was that while doing the research, we had even met a couple of people who were doing these things.

03:36They have closed for many years.

03:38They do not go into these things because they were looking at the customs department.

03:43So, it is not a very easy work to take drugs in your stomach.

03:47For example, if you are coming from a country, you have to keep 40 to 45 capsules in your stomach.

03:54You have to swallow it.

03:56It is a difficult process.

03:57You can't eat anything.

03:58You can't drink anything.

04:00There is also a scene where she asks if you drink water.

04:04So, she can't drink water.

04:06Because when you drink water, everything will go out.

04:08You can't drink water, you can't drink water, you can't drink water.

04:09So, it is a huge amount.

04:10So, these things are interesting or fun.

04:11But when we heard the incident from a puppet, it was not fun.

04:15It was a shocking incident.

04:16It is a high risk to carry these things.

04:17So these things we have seen in a very interesting way, but when we heard the incident from the world, it was not so fun.

04:28It was a shocking incident and it was a high risk to carry these things.

04:34When you see the screen, there is also an official responsibility.

04:39How did you ensure that you are going to go to the ground?

04:44So, as you know, we all try to show the men in uniform in the right way because we believe in them.

04:54And in Friday Filmworks, Friday Storytales, there is a constant principle that because we believe in the men in uniform, we will show them in the right light.

05:02There is no doubt in that. And we do not glorify.

05:06Look, one villain has to show a strong villain and then he will be stronger.

05:11But every villain has a price to play.

05:14If he will do it wrong, he will not be able to hide from the custom's eyes.

05:17So, we keep attention to these things.

05:19We only do the villain for the win of the hero, but not for the crime that he is doing.

05:26So, we do not have to go to the custom department.

05:33So, sir, we have a lot of learning about him.

05:34As we start to be learning about him, I think the first thing would be attention to detail.

05:51So, the small things you can see, how the room will be studied, how the character moves, what it is wearing,

05:59all these things we call attention to detail,

06:03the uniform information, the area they move,

06:07we try to shoot live sets, live airports,

06:11the offices of which they do replicate,

06:15simple things like their files, how they do paperwork,

06:19all these things we replicate.

06:21So, attention to detail is something that I've learned from research,

06:25and not only from one source,

06:29we validate the number of sources,

06:31because one source is not the right result of research,

06:35but we validate it from 2-3 sources,

06:37and then we can see it in a script or screen.

06:43In the cinema of Neeraj Pandey,

06:45it is very important,

06:47because you have any specific process that I have,

06:49and I haven't adopted it after the director of Sain,

06:51I think for Taskari,

06:53because it is a show created by Neeraj Pandey,

06:57it is run completely by Neeraj Pandey,

06:59I am a co-director on that show.

07:01So, there are a lot of things,

07:05when we are at script level,

07:07there are a lot of discussions,

07:09we know how the scene is going to play out,

07:11and we know how the director will behave.

07:13There are a lot of workshops,

07:15which we do in the office before we go to set.

07:17What happens in the web?

07:19It becomes very difficult,

07:21because there is a lot of time for shooting.

07:23And specifically, when you shoot in airports,

07:25there is a lot of work.

07:26There are multiple shoots,

07:27in one time.

07:28So,

07:29all these things are happening,

07:31we can clear all the time in the office,

07:33workshops,

07:34and writing time.

07:36The set becomes a place,

07:37where there is execution.

07:39But the homework and groundwork

07:41is the script.

07:43When we reach the set,

07:44we know exactly what to do.

07:46We don't try to figure out what to do.

07:49Because I think that is a waste of time.

07:52and that discipline,

07:53which is through Neerat sir,

07:54is our whole team.

07:55And that is something that I have followed over the years.

07:58Imran Haas had to do the decision

08:00that it wasn't going to do.

08:02Because,

08:03it was a real thing.

08:05This is a lot of work.

08:06The director,

08:07the director,

08:08the director,

08:09the director,

08:10the director,

08:11the director,

08:12the director,

08:13the director,

08:14the director,

08:15the director,

08:16and the director.

08:17I think that line is completely correct

08:19that

08:20Akha Bollywood,

08:22and Imran Ashmi.

08:23Because he is a wonderful

08:24and a fantastic human being first.

08:26And more than that,

08:28he is a brilliant actor.

08:29I mean,

08:30you can see his own work,

08:32whatever the director has done,

08:33he has done brilliantly.

08:34The name of Neerat sir,

08:36first of all,

08:37what do we think about Imran?

08:40And this was the writing process.

08:42And when we were all sitting,

08:43instantly,

08:44I think,

08:45without any doubt,

08:46unanimously,

08:47we all said yes.

08:49And a few days later,

08:51he was in the office.

08:52In my opinion,

08:53he was in 2-3 minutes.

08:55He came out of the office

08:56and we were all on in the show.

08:58So,

08:59he is a fantastic person.

09:00And the director,

09:01he has also beautifully picked up.

09:03I think,

09:04he tells us that

09:05when he crossed airports,

09:06he started noticing

09:07these custom offices.

09:08And from there,

09:09there were a lot of nuances,

09:10his personalities,

09:11he built it

09:12and he took it

09:13into the director of Arjun Meena.

09:15I think,

09:16he is a very versatile actor.

09:17He has already done diverse roles.

09:18It doesn't mean that

09:19he has not done roles.

09:20But yes,

09:21let's say,

09:22the most of our audience is to see him

09:23in this beautiful love avatar.

09:24But,

09:25this also,

09:26this role,

09:27I think,

09:28was not,

09:29he's an actor.

09:30And I think,

09:31he does it brilliantly.

09:32So,

09:33this wasn't so difficult.

09:34Just,

09:35the groundwork was quite difficult.

09:37But,

09:38the groundwork was quite difficult.

09:39And,

09:40I think,

09:41he does it brilliantly.

09:42So,

09:43this wasn't so difficult.

09:44There was groundwork

09:45and preparation

09:46was quite enough for it.

09:47So,

09:48in the time of reading

09:49we had basic reading

09:51but,

09:52I think,

09:53all of them have

09:54made a lot of things

09:55and a collaboration

09:56is happening.

09:57We have discussions

09:58on the set

09:59and discussions

10:00on the set

10:01and discussions

10:02on the set.

10:03So,

10:04we have to open it

10:05as well.

10:06There is a very gray area

10:07of the character.

10:08We have to handle the crime.

10:09We have to handle it.

10:10We have to handle it.

10:11We have to handle it.

10:12We have to handle it

10:13in the past.

10:14And,

10:15I think,

10:16he has done it brilliantly.

10:17And,

10:18I think,

10:19he has done it brilliantly.

10:20And,

10:21I think,

10:22he has done it brilliantly.

10:23And,

10:25Arjun Meena,

10:26we are able to do it.

10:27Imran Ji,

10:28I think,

10:29I think,

10:30I think,

10:31I think,

10:32I think,

10:33in the world,

10:34how do we make different

10:35things?

10:36How do we make different

10:37things?

10:38So,

10:39because of this,

10:40it is very different.

10:41Because of this,

10:42it is very different from all shows.

10:45When we try to make a story,

10:47our motive is to tell us

10:48that we have not seen such things,

10:49that people have not seen or heard.

10:51So,

10:52when we try to make a story,

10:53we have to tell us

10:54that people have not seen or heard.

10:56So,

10:57when the topic was chosen,

10:59when we had a story,

11:00when we had a story,

11:01we had to make a story,

11:02that we have a choice that

11:03then we will make a story.

11:05But there was clear that

11:06it hasn't been done on this thing.

11:07There is no work there.

11:08There has been no work there,

11:09and I have not made a story.

11:10Of that time,

11:11we had a lot of research

11:12even at the world cinema.

11:14To see the things outside,

11:16what they made,

11:17about smuggling things,

11:19I did not see much things.

11:21I could see some things on the documentary.

11:23But at the time,

11:24we really had to watch that.

11:26So, we were clear that

11:27even at a global cinema level,

11:30I think,

11:31This story can travel and people can see it, because it's a unique world to see it.

11:38And about actors, they have a lot of work, and they have a nation.

11:43They have a lot of work in Zoya of Rose, so what do you think about it?

11:52Zoya of Rose is a fantastic actress.

11:55And Zoya is not such that we are working on the first time.

11:58She has been working on a film before, whose name is Sikandar's Mokadar.

12:03And if you can see, she has a fantastic role, she is a very interesting actor.

12:07So, when we had to build this character for this character, and the cast was talking about it,

12:13her name instantly we decided on it.

12:16And we wanted a character who has a actor of Air Hostess.

12:21So, Air Hostess has a look.

12:23And Zoya is extremely beautiful and extremely talented with acting.

12:27I mean, she got that role so well,

12:30that she was able to balance that role from a spy point of view also,

12:35that how she goes inside and how she handles that thing.

12:39And also, she is able to handle the presence of the personality of an Air Hostess.

12:43So, they have been able to handle all the things that they have to do beautifully.

12:53And you can completely believe that, yes, Zoya is the Air Hostess who made sure that

13:00they are able to deal with customs with a very big syndicate.

13:04Usually, Underworldly story,

13:07yeah, I say,

13:08practicals,

13:09so,

13:10women-central characters,

13:11so,

13:12women-central characters,

13:13so,

13:14women-central characters,

13:15so,

13:16women-central characters,

13:17so,

13:18so,

13:19women-central characters,

13:20women-central characters,

13:21women-central characters,

13:25women and Undertactions.

13:26So,

13:27how come heart-

13:46It was used for a small mission and how they infiltrate the whole syndicate and infiltrate the whole level that they can get a full 500 crore.

13:59And the story doesn't stop here. The story grows up and sends it back.

14:04So all these things are in character and character.

14:07And what we do in writing is that we wanted to travel like this.

14:15Because to infiltrate, she was the perfect thing.

14:19So she will be female, she will be erosis, she will move into that world and she will do it so beautifully.

14:24So this is basically a game of writing.

14:27And after that, you have the character who is able to take care of this entire thing.

14:32If it becomes an event, the character will not be bigger or shorter?

14:38No, I don't think so.

14:40When Sir has written this story with Vipul Ravel,

14:45we have written this story in the way.

14:49If it is written in the way of the film,

14:51it will be written in the way of the film.

14:53Because there are seven episodes.

14:55So every episode has a hook point.

14:57Every episode has a start, middle and end.

14:59High points, low points.

15:01So this story is written in the way of the web series.

15:04It is written in the way of the episodic structure.

15:06It is written in the way of the binge watch.

15:09And if it is a film,

15:11I don't know if it is a different story.

15:13Yes, we expose the syndicate,

15:14we expose the custom,

15:15we expose the end.

15:16How do we expose it?

15:17What happens?

15:18What happens?

15:19You said that the story is written in the way of the series,

15:22but the future is written in the way of the film.

15:24How do you expand this vision?

15:29How do we engage in that you?

15:30I think it is really famous,

15:31we have about a mistake

15:32than that.

15:33Before we begin with the argument

15:35which,

15:36we need to give it more français.

15:38We need a new story.

15:39We make fears and of them

15:40about it.

15:42Even our story goes on,

15:44we must have a strong one.

15:50Look at that conversation.

15:52So this is really powerful,

15:56the true main and global medium.

15:58So this is a second question,

15:59I think the love of the series, we are on the same page, and we will see the talks as soon as we will see the talks, and maybe if everything goes well, it will become a true story.