She has been receiving congratulatory calls and messages since the series started streaming. Playing the beautiful and strong Mehrunissa in the Zee5 series Taj: Reign Of Revenge, Sauraseni Maitra has been soaking in the praise coming her way. A candid chat.

How’s the response so far?

Amazziiiinggg. I did not expect to receive this amount of love and appreciation from all parts of India. From what we have seen, sequels don’t generally do well. But Taj has managed to garner even more appreciation for this season, so that means a lot.

What’s the best compliment that you have received?

I was busy promoting when Season Two came. And I couldn’t watch the show out of anxiety. My mom video-called me after watching the show and she had tears of joy in her eyes and she said: “Congrats on living the dream. Congrats and thank you for holding our heads high.” I don’t think any other compliment can match up to that. It’s the truest and purest emotion ever.

Did you take lessons to speak Urdu?

I really had to work on the diction. I didn’t get much time to prep. So I sat every day with my assistant director to get all the words and the diction right. We would do all the lines for the day over and over again before going to the set.

What were your first thoughts when you heard that you were selected for Season Two of Taj?

It felt like a dream coming true. I had to audition twice and my director Vibhu Puri himself had come down for the audition and within the next two days, things got finalised. I can only thank my stars for getting this opportunity in a magnum opus that is Taj. But I also know that “heavy is the head that wears the crown”. I knew the responsibility that came along with it.

How did you prepare for the character?

The makers were shooting Season 1 and Season 2 almost at the same time and as I was one of the last ones to come on board, I got almost no prep time. I mostly got information about Nur Jahan’s contributions and significance in the Mughal Court. This show portrays Mehrunissa’s journey all the way to becoming Nur Jahan. It was important for me to understand that journey.

Our showrunners have researched for almost five-six years. It was important for me to understand the character’s traits, her layers, and her body language. My showrunner, William, has been a great help. Also, I had to put in extra effort to learn the language (Urdu) and get the dialect right. As you know, the Bengali language doesn’t have genders, I used to keep on fumbling with that. But thanks to my team (director, co-actors, and assistant directors)... they just held my hand and took me along.

Were you a huge history buff in school?

History and English have always been my favourite subjects. My father used to teach me both and the way he used to teach me, was like watching a movie. For many, history is boring. But for me, it has always been an adventure of time travel.

Tell us about your character.

Describing Mehrunissa in one word would be like describing Taj Mahal in one word. Mehrunissa has so many layers to her character. Just like there are two sides to a coin, Mehrunissa’s character also has those two sides. On one hand, she’s ambitious, strong, intelligent, dynamic and resilient. On the other hand, she has this sensitive side where her love and sheer admiration for Salim are earnest and honest, she’s a loving daughter and also a patron of art and literature.

I think being a woman of today, I could relate so much with her. She was way ahead of her time and always held her own in a patriarchal society, despite the multiple challenges that were put upon her. Even though people might see her as manipulative, I think she was just an ambitious woman who knew what she wanted and how to achieve that. A perfect blend of sugar and spice.

How was your first day of the shoot?

We were shooting in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. And I did not get much time to prep. I was shooting with Sandhya Mridul. I’ve always been a fan girl and of course, I was intimidated given her extensive body of work. But once I got ready, put on makeup and my costume, I was Mehrunissa. And the nervousness just slid off. She was too kind and took me under her wing and made me really comfortable.

How was your shooting experience with Naseeruddin Shah?

It’s an experience of a lifetime. It was a treat working with him...initially, I did not have too many scenes with him but I was lucky enough and I got a lot of time to talk to him... got a lot of time to spend with him off-camera. He is such an institution. He is my acting school. He is so amazing. It is very normal for anyone to be intimidated by him.... and it doesn’t come with how Naseer Sir carries himself. It comes with a huge body of work. So it was only natural to feel intimidated. But once I met him... in Jodhpur... he was so warm and welcoming. His presence in the room is an inspiration. His passion, grit, patience, and dedication... you have so much to learn from. Everyone should learn from him.

The bond has become really nice. He used to invite us to his house... he is such an amazing host. He has a child inside of him and that is so captivating. Whenever I text him for something, he always replies. He treats everyone equally.

Did you ever get intimidated while performing a scene with him?

Initially, I was nervous... but the anxiety wasn’t there since we had already developed a good bond. One time we were done with our master shot, and I went up to him and asked: ‘Sir, do you think I should deliver my lines in any other way? How can I better it?” And he said: “You are already doing it so well!”

What is the best part about Season 2 of Taj? What are its highlights?

The main highlight of Taj Season 2 is that it is bigger, it is darker, and it is grittier (Taj: Reign of Revenge Part 2 streams from today on Zee5). There is a transformation in the graph of the characters who are already established. All the characters have been developed so well. A lot of people have said they loved Season 2 more than Season One, which is great for a show. The chemistry between the characters is very interesting.

Will you be focusing more on your national projects now?

If I get something nice on the national platform I’ll definitely take up that opportunity. If I get something nice in Calcutta, I’ll definitely do it. I’ll focus on anything that has good content. Why restrict yourself? I’m an actor; a performer. Wherever I get a good script, I am willing to do that. I do not want to waste one day of my life.... because this is the time. I am going to utilise it and do good work.