Gitikka Ganju Dhar, anchor, actor, writer and Communication Coach at Ministry of Talk - Made in India will be seen in the much-awaited second season of ‘Tanaav’. The popular series commenced screening on 12 September, 2024 on Sony LIV.
The Indian adaptation of the critically acclaimed Israeli series ‘Fauda’, titled ‘Tanaav 2’, is produced by Applause Entertainment in collaboration with Applause Productions. The new season is a Kashmir-set thriller directed by Sudhir Mishra and E Niwas.
Speaking about her role as Nafeesa in the web series, Dhar excitedly mentioned in a LinkedIn post, that “Essaying Nafeesa was smooth as silk…”
The ensemble cast of ‘Tanaav 2’ includes Dhar, Manav Vij, Arbaaz Khan, Gaurav Arora, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Ekta Kaul, Satyadeep Mishra, Arslan Goni, Rockey Raina, Soni Razdan, Danish Husain, and Swati Kapoor, among others.
Dhar’s Kashmiri Roots
What excited Dhar to take up the role of Nafeesa in Tanaav 2? “I am a Kashmiri and my father served in the Indian Army. In the show, I play a Kashmiri lady whose husband was in the Army. The fact that it was a series set in Kashmir drew me towards the audition. Being a Kashmiri, I get drawn in, like a moth to a flame. Also, this may sound frivolous, but the prospect of shooting in Kashmir also brings joyful expectancy.”
She continues, “But the first thing that got my attention was that the series is directed by Sudhir Misra and Eshwar Niwas, both directors with great skill. Also, Nafeesa's track flows with the track of the lead negative protagonist of the show, Al Damishq, which was good, especially as an ensemble cast. Her character needed to be essayed in a nuanced manner, a lot was happening in her mind and that had to be conveyed with dignity and restraint. Also, I liked the fact that she was a strong, brave and upright woman.”
Elaborating on the experience of shooting with Niwas, she mentioned, “It was as smooth as Pashmina, may I say! He's right there directing you, but it is a very non-intrusive and gentle method that he adopts.”
She reminisces, “I shot many scenes with a very high fever and a cold that had turned my voice nasal. But, I was happy shooting, nonetheless.”
The Story of Kashmir: Depicting the Real through Reel
Discussing the underlying but much well-known and talked about issues of Kashmir as well as the treatment of the storyline of Tanaav 2, Dhar clarifies, “Tanaav is purely a fictional piece of work. But, this is how Kashmir was, at the peak of militancy. Officers like Vikrant, Kabir and Toshi fought hard against cold-blooded, trained terrorists like Al Damishq. It was as ruthless as the show portrays it to be. It was hell on earth, such an irony for a land that Amir Khusro called a paradise on earth. The treatment is such that the scenes have a real feel to them.”
She adds, “I also like the pace of editing, it renders a good pace of storytelling. Many actors are of Kashmiri origin, so it is an authentic representation of the essence of Kashmir. I know that everyone tried to get the Kashmiri accent right, believe me, it is one of the toughest languages to speak.”
More episodes will be streamed soon, Dhar says. “The Kashmir you see in the show, thankfully, is changed now. I went on a holiday recently, in a mothers and daughters group, and not for a second did we feel unsafe. Infact, there we were, sitting in a car driven by a young Muslim man, playing Ram bhajans on the system, Kashmir has definitely transited out of a long, dark night. There are miles to go, yes, but we are on our way,” she expresses, shedding light on the true essence and beauty of Kashmir.
She sums up, befittingly, “Kashmir is ours, Kashmiris are ours, and Kashmiriyat is also ours. Waiting for a time when the puzzle will get its final pieces. After Article 370, we have one more leap to take and then, the homecoming will be complete.”
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