Bengali actress Anindita Bose, who plays a pivotal in the upcoming web series “Mafia”, says a big reason why she was enthused to take up the show is that she has loved playing the game Mafia since she was a college kid.

“I have been playing Mafia since my college days. So, it holds a sense of nostalgia, takes me to those happy days. When the story was narrated to me by (creators) Rohan Ghose) and Arista (Sen), it really intrigued me. That apart, this is the first time I have got a chance to be part of a physiological thriller,” Anindita told IANS.

About the show, she lets on: “It is a mystery drama that turns into a physiological thriller, and it involves six friends. As the story of each character is unveiled, another game begins.”

“Mafia” also features Namit Das, Tanmay Dhanania, Isha M. Saha, and Madhurima Roy in pivotal roles.

Is it tough for an actor to stand out amid an ensemble cast? “Standing out or being overshadowing is never my point of concentration. I prefer to be part of the process in the group. For instance, ‘Mafia’ is a show about six friends. My character Neha has to be part of the group, the sync between all the characters has to be there not only in the script but also in my performance. So the idea was never to outshine my co-actors,” she replied.

She added: “What was challenging for me, though, was the fact that Neha is quite transparent in the beginning. She is the most black-and-white character among the others, who are all quite grey. For the audience, grey is sexy! For a performer, making such a character engaging is a challenge! That kept me on my toes.”

The show streams on Zee5 on July 10, and is directed by Birsa Dasgupta.