INTERVIEW: "My character in Mandala Murders has layers, an arc, complexity" - Vaani Kapoor; Read On -

Vaani Kapoor Interview Mandala Murders:

Vaani Kapoor will be seen playing a cop in Netflix and YRF's upcoming series, Mandala Murders. The trailer for the show was launched at an event today, and after the launch, we had a brief conversation with the leading actress about her experience and thoughts regarding the show. Here we go!

Speaking of Mandala Murders and the character, Vaani Kapoor told Movie Talkies, "For me, it was all about the character. If a role has layers, an arc, and complexity—something I haven’t explored before—it immediately catches my attention. In films, you’re often limited when it comes to how much depth you can bring to a role. You don’t always get that kind of scope, especially with longer-format projects. That said, I’ve been lucky to get some well-written parts, but those are rare."

Speaking about the process, she said, "When I met Gopi sir, I felt confident about the story he had in mind. His previous work had already impressed me. He creates fictional worlds with such conviction that even as an actor, you’re drawn in completely. That’s what happened with the character of Riya Thomas."

Well, will we get to see her in an action avatar? The War actress answers, "There is action, but it’s not what you’d call high-octane. You won’t see me in full combat mode or transforming into a superhero. But yes, there’s definitely more physicality than what I’ve done before. The last shot in the trailer shows me post a gunfight—that’s about as intense as it gets. I would love to explore full-on action someday, but this story is still rooted in realism."

"Emotionally, it was exhausting. We shot during peak summer, and the heat was unbearable. We had to do multiple takes for different angles and lengths. Each time, I had to bring the same energy, the same intensity. We wrapped up the whole sequence in a single day, but it was grueling. I remember going home and just crying because I was so physically and emotionally drained. Looking back, I can say, ‘Oh, that was a memorable day,’ but in the moment, it was pure exhaustion," she concluded.

Directed by Gopi Puthran and Manan Rawat, Mandala Murders stars Vaani Kapoor, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Surveen Chawla, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Siddhanth Kapoor, Rahul Bagga, Raghubir Yadav, and Monica Choudhary. It will premiere on Netflix on July 25, 2025.

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