Fatima Sana Shaikh says Priyanka Chopra’s appreciation of her performance in Hunkkaar: The Roar meant more than an ordinary compliment. The actor, who plays a law-enforcement character in the JioHotstar thriller, also opened up about preparing for the role, collaborating with the creators and filming a difficult sequence in freezing temperatures.
Fatima Sana Shaikh has received plenty of attention for her latest screen performance in Hunkkaar: The Roar, but one particular reaction carried special significance for the actor.
Priyanka Chopra publicly appreciated Fatima’s work, and the response left her particularly excited because she has long admired the global star.
Speaking to IMDb about the series, Fatima recalled her reaction to Priyanka’s praise.
“I was so happy and I was so excited because I’m a huge fan of hers. So for me, her liking my performance was a huge validation.”
She also added a simple message for Priyanka:
“I love you, Priyanka.”
For an actor, recognition from a peer can be meaningful in itself. In Fatima’s case, the fact that the praise came from someone she personally admires made the moment even more memorable.
Why Fatima Sana Shaikh wanted to do Hunkkaar
Fatima described Hunkkaar as a gritty thriller centred on four underdogs confronting a powerful force in their pursuit of justice.
“Hunkkaar is a very gritty thriller. It’s a story about four underdogs fighting a big force for justice, almost like David versus Goliath, and which proves that justice shall prevail.”
The concept immediately caught her attention.
Fatima revealed that she went through the script remarkably quickly, saying she read the material she was given within a day.
“They gave me five episodes, and I was like, ‘please dedo, please dedo.’”
Her interest did not stop at simply accepting the role. Fatima felt there was additional depth that could be explored within her character and discussed those ideas with the show’s creators.
The collaboration allowed her to contribute to the development of the role.
“They were open to having conversations, and they were open to my suggestions. So we dug a little deeper, I also presented some ideas and we collaborated on it.”
That creative exchange appears to have been an important part of Fatima’s experience on the project.
Preparing to play a law-enforcement officer
Taking on the role also required Fatima to look beyond fictional portrayals of policing.
She met police officers from different ranks while preparing for the character. The experience influenced the way she viewed the profession and the people working within it.
Fatima said popular perceptions can sometimes reduce an entire institution to a single idea, while the reality is made up of individuals with different motivations and responsibilities.
“We often paint the system in one color and we think that they are against us, but a system is made of individuals.”
She added that many officers genuinely want to protect people and work hard in difficult circumstances.
For Fatima, spending time around officers therefore became more than research for a role. It changed her perspective on the people behind the uniform.
The freezing night shoot that tested Fatima
One of the most difficult experiences during production came during an overnight shoot in extremely cold conditions.
Fatima recalled filming in uniform at around 3 or 4am, with temperatures making it difficult for the crew to work normally.
“It was so cold and I was wearing this uniform. My teeth were chattering and it was around 3 or 4am.”
The conditions affected more than just her performance. According to Fatima, even members of the technical crew struggled to operate equipment properly.
She recalled that the focus puller was having difficulty and that a mashaal used during the sequence went out. The cold eventually made it difficult for her to deliver her dialogue as planned.
“I couldn’t complete my dialogues.”
The anecdote offers a glimpse into the less glamorous side of filming a thriller. What appears as an intense sequence on screen can involve long hours, uncomfortable conditions and repeated technical challenges behind the camera.
Fatima praises Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub and Raghubir Yadav
Fatima also spoke warmly about her co-stars Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub and Raghubir Yadav.
She praised Zeeshan’s ability to approach complicated characters with apparent ease.
“Zeeshan is very fluid. He’s extremely light in his performances, he’s instinctively good and puts so many layers to such a complex character.”
Her comments suggest that working alongside experienced performers also became part of the learning experience for her.
Fatima was equally affectionate while describing Raghubir Yadav.
“As a person he’s such a soft person. He’s such a cutie. What a pookie.”
The contrast between her detailed assessment of Zeeshan’s acting technique and her playful description of Raghubir reflects the different impressions her co-stars made on her during production.
What is Hunkkaar: The Roar about?
Hunkkaar: The Roar is a thriller featuring Fatima Sana Shaikh and Aneet Padda among its cast.
The story centres on a woman who takes a courageous stand against a powerful godman accused of misconduct. Her fight for justice unfolds within a courtroom-driven narrative, bringing together questions of power, accountability and the struggle to challenge influential figures.
The series is currently available to stream on JioHotstar.
Why Priyanka Chopra’s praise mattered to Fatima
Actors often receive feedback from audiences in different forms, but recognition from another performer can carry a distinct emotional weight.
For Fatima, Priyanka Chopra’s response appears to have been particularly meaningful because admiration runs in both directions.
At the same time, Hunkkaar gave Fatima an opportunity to explore a demanding character, collaborate with writers and creators on her role and research the real-world profession she was portraying.
Her experience—from reading the script in a single day to shooting through freezing nights—shows how much work went into creating the character audiences are now seeing.
And with Priyanka’s appreciation adding another layer to the response, Fatima appears to have received the kind of validation that makes a challenging project even more rewarding.
