Rasika Dugal praises Saif Ali Khan's humour, reinvention in 'Kartavya' debut
Synopsis
Rasika Dugal's first pairing with Saif Ali Khan in the Netflix drama 'Kartavya' has yielded glowing remarks about the veteran actor's professionalism and humour. As she juggles the original series adaptation 'Mirzapur' film and this new venture, Dugal's career is expanding beyond the crime-drama echo chamber into prestige streaming content.
Key Takeaways
Rasika Dugal praised Saif Ali Khan's humour and work ethic in their debut collaboration 'Kartavya' . 'Kartavya' premieres on Netflix on 15 May , directed and written by Pulkit .
The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Mishra , Zakir Hussain , Manish Chaudhari , and Saurabh Dwivedi .
Saif plays a police officer navigating duty, family safety, and moral questions in the drama.
Dugal is simultaneously reprising Beena Tripathi in the 'Mirzapur' film adaptation, directed by Gurmeet Singh .
Actress Rasika Dugal has opened up about her first on-screen collaboration with Saif Ali Khan in the upcoming Netflix drama 'Kartavya', set to premiere on 15 May. The 'Mirzapur' star revealed that working alongside the veteran actor was both enjoyable and inspiring, citing his sustained presence in Hindi cinema over three decades.
What Rasika said about Saif
In an interview, Dugal highlighted Khan's humour and professionalism on set. "It's great to have a co-actor who has a super sense of humour and is so much fun to work with! I really admire how he has sustained a successful career for over three decades and constantly reinvented himself. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him," she said. Her remarks underscore the actor's ability to remain relevant in an industry marked by rapid turnover and shifting audience tastes.
About 'Kartavya'
The Netflix original, directed and written by Pulkit, follows a police officer—portrayed by Saif—as he balances professional duty with family safety amid escalating threats. The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari, and Saurabh Dwivedi. Produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainments Pvt. Ltd., the drama interrogates themes of morality, power, guilt, and the true cost of justice.
Parallel projects
Beyond 'Kartavya', Dugal is reprising her role as Beena Tripathi in the film adaptation of the crime series 'Mirzapur'. Directed by Gurmeet Singh and backed by Excel Entertainment, the film reunites the original cast, including Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Divyendu Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee, Shweta Tripathi, and Shriya Pilgaonkar. The narrative centres on crime boss Akhandanand 'Kaleen' Tripathi, portrayed by Pankaj Tripathi, who rules the Mirzapur district.
What's ahead
'Kartavya' arrives on Netflix in mid-May, marking Rasika and Saif's first pairing and expanding her portfolio beyond the 'Mirzapur' universe into original drama content.
Point of View
Khan's three-decade arc—marked by strategic genre shifts from romantic leads to darker, morally ambiguous characters—remains a rarity. That a rising actor like Rasika feels compelled to highlight this suggests the streaming era is rewarding craft and longevity over youth-driven optics. Her simultaneous work on 'Kartavya' and the 'Mirzapur' film shows how OTT platforms are fragmenting talent across multiple projects, a shift from the old studio system's exclusivity.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Kartavya' and when does it release?
'Kartavya' is a Netflix original drama directed and written by Pulkit, premiering on 15 May. It follows a police officer, played by Saif Ali Khan, as he navigates professional duty and family safety amid escalating threats, exploring themes of morality, power, and justice.
Who stars in 'Kartavya' alongside Saif Ali Khan?
The ensemble cast includes Rasika Dugal, Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari, and Saurabh Dwivedi in key roles. The film is produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainments Pvt. Ltd.
Is this Rasika Dugal's first collaboration with Saif Ali Khan?
Yes, 'Kartavya' marks the first on-screen pairing between Rasika Dugal and Saif Ali Khan. Dugal revealed she found Khan's sense of humour and professionalism enjoyable to work with.
What other projects is Rasika Dugal working on?
Rasika is reprising her role as Beena Tripathi in the film adaptation of 'Mirzapur', directed by Gurmeet Singh and backed by Excel Entertainment. The film reunites the original cast from the series.
