Shefali Shah opens up on playing mother to 28 year old Akshay Kumar who was five years older in Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra starrer 'Waqt': 'I didn’t have the maturity'

Delhi Crime Season 3 released on November 13, 2025, and with it, Shefali Shah returned once again as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, one of India’s most powerful screen performers. Her journey has been anything but ordinary from playing the role of a mother at age 28 to Akshay Kumar who is five years older than her in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, 'Waqt'.

Learning from the early choices

Shefali admits she wasn’t fully aware of the long-term impact of playing that role in the interview with NDTV. She says, "I didn't have the maturity, understanding, or knowledge of cinema that I have today." She also laughs about how she feels now: "If I had to watch Waqt again now, I would die of embarrassment."




For years, the experience shaped how she viewed scripts. She firmly decided she would never again play a mother to someone nearly her age.

How ‘Delhi Crime’ rewired her as an actor

Reflecting on the turning point in her career, Shefali explains how deeply Delhi Crime impacted her methods. She shares, "My way of working changed drastically after I did Delhi Crime. Not only was it a turning point in my career, it changed the way I approach my work."

She further added that she doesn’t rely on glycerine anymore. “When I do a scene, you are completely into the character. You live every moment. Neelam Mehra had lived all the humiliation the guy put her through. I feel those emotions very strongly.”

Legacy of ‘Delhi Crime’

Delhi Crime made history at the International Emmys in November 2020, becoming the first Indian show to win Best Drama Series. This season continues to follow the investigation led by Vartika and her team, the series was inspired by 2012 Baby Falak case about a complex human trafficking network. Season 3 stars Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal ,Rajesh Tailang and Huma Qureshi