Surveen Chawla calls her 'Criminal Justice 4' role the emotional core of the series

Chawla shared that Anju is calm and composed on the outside but carries a storm within, making the character both challenging and deeply compelling to portray. In a recent interaction with IANS, the actress shared her thoughts on preparing for her roles and what drew her to the gripping narrative.

Reflecting on her character in ‘Criminal Justice 4,’ Surveen stated, “See, for me, Anju Nagpal, my character, is the emotional core, the epicentre, the emotional epicenter of the show. And I think she’s calm; she’s composed. She’s in the midst of a storm but not letting it out, not letting it show. She’s keeping it all suppressed inside of her.”

“And what drew me to the part, actually, was all of this and much more, which I can’t reveal as we speak. But more than just the part, I think it’s also the entire team, you know, with such fantastic actors like Pankaj ji, Zeeshan, Shweta, Mitaji, Barkha, and everybody on board. Even, for that matter, Ira, who’s playing my daughter. I mean, everybody was so amazing. The cast matters. The director matters. I’ve been wanting to work with Rohan for a very long time, and finally, when I did get the opportunity, obviously, I wanted to grab it. The Applause team, the Hotstar team—I think it’s all in all, you know, like a well-curated recipe, I would say. And I look at a project, honestly, every project, I look at it like that,” the 'Hate Story 2' actress added.

Surveen further explained that while a script might seem strong and promising on paper, what truly makes or breaks a project is the team behind it. She emphasized that even the best-written stories can falter without a capable and committed cast and crew to bring them to life. For her, the presence of a solid, reliable team is one of the most crucial deciding factors when choosing whether or not to take up a project.

The Pankaj Tripathi-headlined show also starred Shweta Basu Prasad. Directed by Rohan Sippy, Criminal Justice Season 4 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

On the other hand, in “Rana Naidu Season 2,” Surveen Chawla reprised her role as Naina, but with a fresh perspective. “She’s changed gears,” the actress explained, noting how her character is now demanding more accountability and stepping up to take control. “She’s no longer a silent observer. Naina is a woman who wants answers—and she’s not afraid to go after them.”

'Rana Naidu' season 2 also featured Rana Daggubati, Arjun Rampal, Kriti Kharbanda, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, and Ashish Vidyarthi. The show streamed on Netflix from June 13.