Amruta Khanvilkar shines at 'Taskaree' trailer launch, hails the experience of working with Neeraj Pandey 'phenomenal'

Amruta Khanvilkar has kicked off the year with momentum as the trailer of her upcoming series ‘Taskaree’ brings her into the action space for the first time on a digital platform. The action thriller stars Emraan Hashmi and is directed by Neeraj Pandey. The show begins streaming on Netflix on January 14. For Khanvilkar, the project signals both a genre shift and a major collaboration early in the year.The series has a personal milestone attached to it. “2025 started with a bang for me because I began shooting for ‘Taskaree’ in January last year, and it turned out to be such an incredible experience,” she said. The show is backed by OTT platform, which also hosted the trailer launch, and marks her first association with the streaming platform. Khanvilkar said the role came to her without a traditional audition. “I didn’t have to audition for my role. Thanks to casting director Vicky Sadanah, I met Neeraj sir and performed a single scene, he loved it, and that was it.” She described the show as an important step in her career. “It’s my first ever action web series. I’ve performed a lot of action sequences in the show.”Khanvilkar plays Mitali, a key member of a customs team. “My character, Mitali, is a total badass and one of the core members of the customs team. I truly enjoyed stepping into her shoes and exploring this side of myself.”Working with Neeraj Pandey left a lasting impression on the actor. “The way Neeraj sir envisions and executes a scene is phenomenal,” she said. “Every moment on his set is fast paced and dynamic. Actors are constantly alert, wondering what’s coming next.” She compared the experience to live performance. “It almost feels like doing theatre, long takes, multiple movements, and so many people sharing the frame. He is exceptional at handling large crowds.”The scale of the shoot also stood out. Khanvilkar said the team filmed at locations usually closed to the public to enhance realism. One moment stayed with her. “Shooting at Mumbai airport and witnessing the entire ecosystem function in real time was an experience in itself, it was simply amazing.”‘Taskaree’ is not her only release this month. She will also appear in Disney Plus Hotstar’s ‘Space Gen Chandrayaan’, which begins streaming on January 23. Calling her Netflix debut special, she said, “It makes me immensely happy. The platform and the makers are fantastic, and starting the year with this project feels truly special.”