Though she was confident of the script’s merit, Huma Qureshi says she had little idea that Maharani would go on to garner so much love from the audience. She is touched that her portrayal of Rani Bharti in the political drama has been praised, even winning her a spot in the Best Actor (Female): Series category of the mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards. “I had enjoyed working with Subhashji [Kapoor, creator] on Jolly LLB 2 [2017]. When he offered me this show, I enjoyed reading the screenplay. As an actor, one is always hungry for good scripts and interesting character graphs. I don’t think I’ve got so much love for any other character I’ve played,” she says.

Many believe that her character, who is named the chief minister of Bihar after an assassination attempt renders her husband invalid, is inspired by Rabri Devi. But the actor insists the 10-part series is a work of fiction. Slipping into the role was initially tough for Qureshi. “I come from Delhi. So, to perfect the accent, nuances and speech took immense effort. When people say that I spoke authentically like someone from Bihar, it’s the biggest compliment.”