'Daldal': Makers unveils first look of Bhumi Pednekar-starrer at IFFI 2025

Makers on Wednesday unveiled the first look of its upcoming psychological crime thriller "Daldal" at a special showcase during the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here.

Headlined by actor Bhumi Pednekar, the series is based on Vish Dhamija's bestselling novel "Bhendi Bazaar" and follows Mumbai's newly appointed DCP Rita Ferreira, whose pursuit of a brutal killer forces her into the city's moral grey zones and compels her to confront buried memories.

"Daldal" is created for series by Suresh Triveni and directed by Amrit Raj Gupta. It hails from production banner Abundantia Entertainment and also features Aditya Rawal and Samara Tijori.

The first-look showcase included an exclusive teaser preview, followed by a in-conversation session, titled "Beyond the Stereotype: Redefining Women and Power in Modern Storytelling".

The session brought together Pednekkar, Triveni, the writing team, and Nikhil Madhok, director & head of originals at Prime Video India, to discuss the show's exploration of female complexity and the platform's broader approach to women-led narratives.

Pednekkar said her character Rita Ferreira's power lies in restraint.

"From the women in my home, I learned that power doesn't need to be loud. It can be quiet, resilient, and rooted in constantly questioning the world around you. That's something I saw my mother do every day, and something Rita does too. She doesn't say much, but she does a lot. If actions speak louder than words, I don't think there's a character who embodies that more than Rita Ferreira," the actor said.

She said the character was among the most challenging roles of her career.

"For the first time, I didn't have dialogues or even expressive eyes to rely on. I had to communicate through the smallest physical cues: how her neck tightens with guilt or how her body responds to anger.

"It took months to come out of it. But it was also deeply satisfying because I was pushed, really pushed, by a team that believed in complexity, in darkness, in writing anti-hero traits for women. Very few characters like this get written for us," she added.

"The moment you start boxing narratives as female-led or male-led, you defeat the purpose. Stories must connect universally. Historically, cinema has chosen sides while portraying women - entirely good or entirely bad. At Abundantia, we embrace nuance and emotional truth," he said, pointing to the banner's earlier projects such as "Shakuntala Devi", "Sherni" and "Jalsa".

"Daldal" will premiere on OTT.