Delnaaz Irani on embracing the quirks of a Parsi mother in Chumbak

Delnaaz Irani

We can't see another Gulshan Tarapurwala besides Delnaaz Irani," says Delnaaz Irani, recalling what the cast and crew of Chumbak told her. While Irani initially thought they were simply being nice, watching the Netflix comedy changed her mind. "Now, after watching all the episodes, I can proudly say that I cannot see any other Gulshan Tarapurwala besides me," says Irani. The road to the role, however, was one with immense prep, both by makers Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas Majethia and the actor. Irani rummaged through her cupboard and wore her old clothes to look the part of a Parsi mother for the audition.

"About two-and-a-half years ago at Rupali Ganguly's birthday party, Aatish and JD told me that they are writing something for Netflix, and if it all works out they want me to do a part. I have known them since our Gujarati theatre days. Then I did Batliwala House No. 43 with them in 2005. While I have done cameos in their shows Khichidi and Baa Bahu Aur Baby, I never got a full-fledged show with them for the longest time. I feel this is something I manifested," smiles Irani.

(L-R) Delnaaz Irani, Anant Joshi, and Amyra Dastur in ‘Chumbak'

Kapadia was confident that she was right for the role and urged her to ace the audition. "Aatish was very confident because somewhere he had written this part keeping me in mind," she says.

Irani plays an overbearing, loud Parsi mother in Chumbak, a type of role she had deliberately avoided because "Parsis are often made to be caricatures" in Hindi films and television. "I didn't want to do that because I don't speak Parsi Hindi. And I didn't want to play a Parsi [just for comic effect]. In Chumbak, of course, the quirks, madness, and over-the-top [reactions] are all there. But we've shown a full-fledged Parsi family who is involved in taking the story ahead. It's not a side character just for comedy," explains Irani.

Aatish Kapadia and JD Majethia

Asked who is more Parsi between her and Amyra Dastur, who plays her daughter-in-law Hutoxi, Irani laughs. "Anant [Joshi, who plays her son Freddy] thinks he has now become more Parsi than either of us. Amyra is a sober Parsi. She understands everything, but she speaks in Anglicised Parsi. Aatish would also give instructions in Parsi, and move on. But Anant was like, ‘Who will instruct me?' It would be so funny."

A still from ‘Batliwala House No. 43'

Delnaaz Irani played Gulshan Batliwala in the 2005 comedy-sitcom series ‘Batliwala House No. 43', which was an adaptation of the hit series ‘The Kumars at No. 42'