At the NDTV Yuva 2026 session titled Fatima No Filter, the actress opened up about her powerful role as ACP Jasleen Singh Soin (also referred to as Jasleen Soni) in the recently released series Hunkkaar.
On Prepping For Her Cop Role
Speaking of playing a cop, Fatima Sana Shaikh spoke about how she did not want to portray a typical officer or make it solely about 'physicality'.
She said, "I was very excited to play a cop, but I did not want to play a typical cop, like enter into the physicality - I wasn't interested. I was curious to get into the mind of an officer. I met a lot of officers of different ranks - constables, inspectors. I was lucky that they were also open to share their stories, contradictions and everything."
She continued, "What happens is, one person comes from certain experiences, and we believe they are all the same. But it's not like that. Sometimes your duty demands something that is opposite to morality. So when that person goes home, meets her family, what does she feel?"
She added, "Some things are stereotyped. We believe when there is interrogation there is only brutality. There are also emotional tactics that are used."
On Judging The System
Speaking of the tendency to judge the 'system', Fatima Sana Shaikh explained that there are both good and bad people within it.
She said, "Generally, when we talk about the system in our real lives, we are upset because we believe it is made only to fracture us. It is a faceless entity that does everything wrong. Every system has good and bad people - some fail us, some want to protect us. So painting them in one colour, I could separate that because of this role. On Instagram, when I read a case, I instantly post about it. But when they do something good, we don't share."
On How OTT Has Been A Booming Platform For Actors
Fatima Sana Shaikh, who has carved her niche by being part of impressive projects both on the big screen and on OTT, explained the differences between the two platforms.
She said, "It is a great platform not just for actors but also for writers, makers and filmmakers. Because it is not just films - there's a different pressure with films: box office and pacing, characters are easily boxed. But long-format doesn't face all this. You can follow their journeys in long format. In one episode you might hate a character, but by the fourth episode you understand the complexities of the character and might like them."
"That's what makes OTT so interesting. For women, it is a great platform - it has opened many doors for us. Women characters, especially strong women, are not written like they will smoke and walk. They can be vulnerable too."
About Hunkkaar
The series follows 17-year-old Meenu Rawat, whose accusation against revered cult leader 'Baapji' sets the investigation into motion. In the trailer, Meenu accuses Baapji of sexually assaulting her.
What initially appears to be a straightforward case soon becomes more complicated as the police begin to question whether Meenu is as innocent as she seems.
As the investigation progresses, Meenu finds herself caught in the middle of growing scrutiny. With Baapji being an influential figure, the case quickly attracts widespread media attention. The trailer shows how the constant coverage begins to shape the narrative around Meenu and the investigation itself.
The series looks at what happens when a serious accusation involves a powerful person and public opinion starts becoming almost as influential as the investigation.
The series has been directed by Karan D Kapadia, Nitya Mehra, and Heeraz Marfatia. It also stars Raghubir Yadav and Ram Kapoor in key roles, along with several others.
