Almost a decade after playing a cop in Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh (2012), Esha Gupta has donned the khaki uniform again for Nakaab. The web series sees her portray a cop who has to fight the corruption in the system as she investigates the mysterious death of an actor. “The role required me to push my boundaries. While incredibly intelligent, she is a victim of patriarchal conditioning, and has lacked a voice. But when it comes to seeking justice, she is unstoppable. I was floored by the sheer range of this part,” says the actor, who is joined by Mallika Sherawat and Gautam Rode in the MXPlayer offering.

Before facing the camera, Gupta says she trained with women cops. Crediting the writers for etching out a “wholesome” character, she adds, “She is vulnerable, but has grit, which is different from what I played in Chakravyuh.” She is currently shooting for Ashram 2 in Jaipur.