“Nagesh Sir gives a lot of room to play aided with ample guidance”, says Priyanshu Chatterjee

Bhooli si surat, aankhon mein masti but this time, the familiar smile hides something far more unsettling. Ever since the trailer of Mrs. Deshpande dropped, which triggered intense chatter for presenting Madhuri Dixit in one of the boldest and darkest roles of her career. The 6-episode psychological thriller — produced by Applause Entertainment and Kukunoor Movies, premiering on JioHotstar on December 19, 2025 marks a dramatic departure from her iconic on-screen image. Madhuri steps into a raw, de-glam and chilling avatar, playing a serial killer whose seemingly ordinary life is a façade built on carefully buried secrets. To sharpen the premise, the synopsis reveals that a series of new murders begin to mirror the pattern of an older, infamous case. As panic spreads, investigators trace every lead back to Mrs. Deshpande suggesting that the “copycat killer” may actually be the original one hiding in plain sight. With this gripping cat-and-mouse setup and Madhuri’s unnerving transformation, Mrs. Deshpande is poised to become one of JioHotstar’s most talked-about year-end releases.

With every character holding a secret and every interaction hinting at something darker, the cast becomes an essential engine of the unfolding mystery. For Priyanshu Chatterjee, Mrs. Deshpande offered a chance to step into a universe where every gesture, pause and silence carries weight. His character navigates the show’s dense psychological terrain, and much of that performance, he says, was shaped by Nagesh Kukunoor’s distinct directing style. “Nagesh Sir gives a lot of room to play aided with ample guidance about the subject and character. He has a great temperament as a human being and as a director which gives us the freedom to work to our best levels. His directives to me were about the physicality, tonal quality of the character that he had envisioned.” Working on a thriller of this scale also meant closely collaborating with the platform driving it. Speaking about the experience, he adds, “It has been a wonderful and fulfilling journey working with Applause and JioHotstar. Their support, guidance and mentorship has made the experience worthwhile. Their team has helped our endeavour throughout the process. I am grateful. Thank you.”

Adapted from the French thriller La Mante and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the series stars Madhuri Dixit, Siddharth Chandekar, Priyanshu Chatterjee, and a strong ensemble. Produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Kukunoor Movies, Mrs. Deshpande is a tense exploration of identity, past trauma, and the dangerous consequences of a woman forced to confront the darker chapters of her life.