Anupriya Goenka Talks About Khoj: Parchaiyo Ke Uss Paar – A Psychological Thriller with a Unique Edge

ZEE5's much-awaited series, Khoj: Parchaiyo Ke Uss Paar, released on 27th December 2024, promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Directed by Prabal Baruah and produced by Juggernaut, the web series delivers a fresh take on an iconic story with a stellar cast and a gripping narrative. Starring Sharib Hashmi, Anupriya Goenka, and Aamir Dalvi in key roles, Khoj is packed with unexpected twists, emotional depth, and a fast-paced storyline that keeps viewers hooked.

Speaking about the series, Anupriya shares, "I do, actually. I always try to look at the bigger picture, though it can sometimes be challenging. As an actor, it's difficult to control many aspects, and you end up with a lot of questions and doubts because you're only seeing what's being shown. Ultimately, it comes down to trusting the production and the director's vision. We can only make suggestions, of course. We tried to keep it as logical as possible, though we've taken a certain amount of suspension of disbelief with this one. It's pacey because the story is inherently written that way, but thankfully, even with the pace, the emotions aren't lost. You still go through the characters' journeys in Khoj, which was very important to me. Sometimes, it's interesting because you're so focused on your character, but when you step back and see what other characters are doing, or how the edit is going to play out, or how music will enhance certain emotions in a particular frame-it really makes an impact. Even the scenes before and after become important in deciding the degree or pace of your performance. That's where the actor and director come together to work on it."

Highlighting why Khoj stands out, Anupriya says, "The reason why people should invest their time is because Khoj is because it is an easy thriller, and I love this aspect of Khoj. It's easy on the mind, it's a quick watch of 4-5 hours. I think it's one of those series which is easy and simple, despite being a thriller and good in performances. It's not compromising in the quality aspect of it, even though it's not as seriously made with a very heavy drama. The series has a great combination. The timeframe is also very interesting of just 4-5 hours. Usually, you just want to have a good time, relax and not commit to a long format. This is it. It's intriguing, interesting and we had a lot of fun while shooting it. So, I'm hoping that would have translated on camera as well."

The series was shot in an impressive 15 days, which came with its share of challenges. Reflecting on the experience, Anupriya says, "I think one of the bigger challenges was that we didn't have much time for pre-production. The story is brought in from the world of 1970s when the world environment was very different and that worked for the story. But in today's time and age to make the story logical is very difficult. I have an inquisitive mind, so I keep looking at the obvious and the elephant in the room that how is this possible in today's time? this is a lost battle because you are trying to achieve the unachievable. So there has to be a certain amount of liberty you're taking but we did not have enough time to bridge in that gap. As much as we could have had if we had more days of shoot, we could have made more scenes or we could have put in more logic to it and cushioned it more. Of course, it was very hectic because in 15 days to shoot seven episodes is crazy but the production did a very good job at it. And honestly, the set was so alive, it really did not matter. I think God just helped us there because otherwise it would have been hellish."

With its intriguing plot, strong performances, and compact runtime, Khoj: Parchaiyo Ke Uss Paar on ZEE5 is a thrilling addition to the psychological thriller genre. Anupriya's dedication and insights further highlight why this series is a must-watch. Make sure to catch it, streaming now on ZEE5!