It's easy to be burdened by the weight of expectations that rest on Chhapaak — it not only has director Meghna Gulzar coming fresh off the success of the much-acclaimed Raazi (2018), but also sees Deepika Padukone face the camera after over a year. Unperturbed by the external pressures, the director says her sole concern is to be honest to acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal's story. Before the drama goes on floors in the third week of March, Gulzar has already begun readings with her cast.

"First, I read individually with each character, then I start pairing them as their combination would appear in the movie. Two to three weeks before the shoot, I will have a cast and crew reading where the entire film will be read. This will also include the technicians so that everybody can hear and see the movie before we roll," says Gulzar, who has co-written the script with Atika Chohan.