‘A huge validation:’ Shefali Shah on receiving Emmy nomination for ‘Delhi Crime 2’

Seasoned actress Shefali Shah is on cloud nine after bagging a nomination at the prestigious International Emmy Awards 2023 in the Best Performance by an Actress category for her portrayal of DCP Vartika Chaturvedi in the Netflix series Delhi Crime Season 2.

Speaking to ANI, she shared her excitement about bagging the Emmy nomination. “I am very excited, just over the moon, very very happy. It’s a huge validation and it’s still sinking in," she said.

Revealing what made her say "yes" to the role within minutes of the script reading of the series, Shefali said, "It just took me 5 minutes to say yes when Richie Mehta first narrated (the script). More than reading out the script, he just detailed what all happened in Delhi at that point in time (after the horrific gangrape of a para-medical student in Delhi in 2012, which came to be known as the Nirbhaya case). He briefed me on how the investigation into the Nirbhaya case progressed. And, less than 5 minutes into the reading session, I said I want to do this. It was really as simple as that. It was a decision that came out of my heart. I didn’t give it any thought.”

Sharing more insight into her role as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, the actress said, “The thing is that she (her character) is not only bold but also vulnerable. When I read the script, I could feel the wave of helpless rage that swept through the city at the time and the trauma that the victim and her kin went through. After reading the script, I realised there was, in fact, someone who was leading the effort to bring the culprits to justice, and, what's more, it was a woman. The events that followed the incident were like a revolution to me. I knew this was a story that needed to be told. This was a charismatic character and also the lead. No director had pitched a lead role to me before then."

Helmed by Tanuj Chopra, the show starred Shefali as the protagonist, DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, while Rajesh Tilang and Rasika Duggal were also cast in lead roles.

Produced by SK Global Entertainment, Golden Karavan, and Film Karavan, Delhi Crime S2 was inspired by true events.

The first season of the show was based on the Delhi Police's investigation into the infamous 2012 Delhi gangrape. It was the first Indian web series to win an International Emmy Award.

An actress known for easy diverse roles and a wide array of characters with aplomb, Shefali left the audiences spellbound with her magnetic screen presence and brilliant performances in Jalsa, Human, Darlings, and Doctor G, among others.

Quizzed on her future projects, the actor said, "Hopefully Delhi Crime Season 3 and a couple of other projects. But all of them are in the scripting stage now.”

Apart from Shefali, actor and stand-up comedian Vir Das and actor Jim Sarbh also bagged nominations at the International Emmy Awards 2023.

Vir Das bagged a nomination for his comedy special Vir Das: Landing, which premiered on the streaming giant Netflix. He is competing with Le Flambeau from France, El Encargado from Argentina, and Derry Girls Season 3 from the UK in the category he has been nominated in.

Jim Sarbh has been nominated for Best Performance by an Actor for his role in Rocket Boys. He will be competing against Ustavo Bassani of Argentina, Martin Freeman of the UK, and Jonas Karlsson of Sweden.