Last seen sharing screen space with Sushmita Sen in Aarya 2, Dilnaz Irani has trained her attention to Zee Theatre’s teleplay, Shireen Shah. Slipping into the character of a painter “whose complexities and experiences make her layered and intense”, Shah says her first attempt at prepping for the role involved learning how to paint. “I also observed a friend who is a painter. The second defining aspect of her being is that she is a rape and riot survivor. The team researched on how such experiences alter one’s psyche. We listened to those who have been affected, directly or indirectly by riots, and asked them about the fears that still haunt them. This gave me a deeper insight into Shireen’s frame of mind.”

The teleplay, she says, enabled her to understand those aspects of a survivor’s experience that haven’t been discussed enough. “I realised how difficult it is to confront your oppressor. It can tear anyone apart. The way Shireen does it forms the crux of the story.”