For Bengali actress Sauraseni Maitra, sharing screen space with actress Radhika Apte in the upcoming ZEE5 original film Saali Mohabbat felt like a ‘masterclass’ in acting — an experience she calls her biggest takeaway from the shoot.
Maitra stars as Shalini Saxena in Tisca Chopra’s feature directorial debut, a tense how-dunnit headlined by Apte. The film also stars Divyenndu Sharma, Anshumaan Pushkar and Anurag Kashyap.
“I’ve been a fangirl of Radhika Apte forever,” Maitra told The Telegraph Online in a free-wheeling chat. “There are scenes of hers I can still recall frame by frame. So when I heard I would be playing her younger sister, it was overwhelming. Watching her work up close felt like a masterclass.”
In Saali Mohabbat, produced by Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Production, Shalini’s arrival in the quiet town of Fursatgarh disrupts Smita’s (Apte) sheltered life. Her presence sparks shifting equations between Ratan Pandit (Divyenndu Sharma) and Pankaj (Anshumaan Pushkar), placing her at the centre of a dramatic chain reaction that intensifies after a double murder rattles the community.
Maitra said Apte’s preparation and discipline shaped the energy of the shoot. “She was always on set ahead of time, always in character. You never saw Radhika — you saw Smita walking around. The subtlety in her performance is something I’ve admired for years, and witnessing it in real time really grounded my own work.”
Her part, she added, demanded emotional depth. “People may love Shalini or hate her, but her shades of grey helped me grow as an actor. She’s layered, conflicted, and her innocence has consequences. The role pushed me out of my comfort zone”
Maitra said her equation with co-stars Divyenndu Sharma and Anshumaan Pushkar strengthened the film’s interpersonal tension. “Working with them was lovely,” she said. “Anshumaan has become my jigra yaar. Divyenndu, being so experienced, made sure I was comfortable. We had workshops, including separate intimacy sessions, that really helped us understand each other’s rhythms.”
The actor also credited Tisca Chopra with refining her performance. “I love working with women directors. Tisca shared personal stories I wasn’t sure how to connect with at first — but those stories unlocked Shalini for me. She guided me through every layer.”
Looking back at a busy year that began with Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei, and included Aamar Boss, Maitra said Saali Mohabbat holds special significance because it marks her Hindi feature-film debut.
“I’ve done Hindi OTT before, but this is my first Hindi film. I’m incredibly grateful. In this profession, you never know when you’ll have work, so every opportunity feels precious,” she said.
She added that she approaches her career with the same discipline she observes in others. “I love my job. I love becoming a different person with every project. The learning never stops — from lights to sound to camera, you grow every day.”
