'Emraan Hashmi listens and reacts, and that elevates the scene:' 'Taskaree' actress Zoya Afroz opens up on Emraan Hashmi’s calm confidence

Zoya Afroz is not content to rely solely on nostalgia. While many still remember her as baby Radhika from ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain,’ the actor says her latest Netflix series, ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web,’ marks a conscious reset.

In a candid conversation, she speaks about starting over, choosing restraint over noise, and why working with Emraan Hashmi shifted her perspective on performance.

Zoya Afroz on her career

Speaking to Mid-Day, Afroz reflects on a career that began early but did not come with guarantees. Despite her visibility as a child actor in films like ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain,’ ‘Mann,’ and ‘Kuch Naa Kaho,' she insists familiarity never translated into momentum. “Every opportunity still had to be earned,” she says, adding that growing up on set simply helped her feel at ease in front of the camera since she did not come from a film family.

Zoya Afroz opens up about 'Taskaree'

In ‘Taskaree,’ Afroz plays Priya Khubchandani, a former cabin crew member who goes undercover for customs officer Arjun Meena, portrayed by Emraan Hashmi. She perceives the series as a pivotal moment. “With ‘Taskaree,’ this feels like a fresh beginning,” she says. “For me, longevity comes from reinvention and persistence, not early access.”Afroz's scenes with Hashmi have remained memorable. Afroz describes the actor as someone who leads quietly rather than forcefully.

“He brings a calm confidence to the set, which makes scenes feel organic rather than rehearsed,” she says. “What I appreciated most was how present he is. He listens and reacts, and that elevates the scene. It creates a space where performances naturally deepen.” She also calls him “a thorough gentleman and a very well-read man.

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Zoya Afroz chooses complexity over labels

Afroz is clear about the kind of work she wants going forward. She is drawn to characters shaped by inner conflict rather than surface-level strength.

“I’m less interested in ‘strong’ characters and more interested in complex ones,” she explains.That clarity also comes with firm boundaries. “I wouldn’t do anything that exists purely to provoke or objectify, without narrative necessity,” she says. “If something doesn’t move the story or reveal the character, it doesn’t belong on screen.”Looking ahead, Afroz hopes to collaborate with filmmakers who value subtext and challenge actors. Her wish list includes Neeraj Pandey, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Akhtar, Meghna Gulzar, and Shoojit Sircar. All seven episodes of ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ are currently streaming on Netflix. The show is available in Hindi and offers dubbed versions in English, French, Spanish, Tamil, and Telugu, expanding its reach worldwide.