Delnaaz Irani is winning appreciation for her role as Gulshan Taraporewala in the Netflix comedy series Chumbak. As part of the Taraporewala household in Chumbak Colony, Gulshan shares the screen with Freddy, played by Anant V. Joshi, and Hutoxi, played by Amyra Dastur. The series is created by Aatish Kapadia and JD Majethia, known for their work on some of Indian television’s most loved comedy shows.
Talking about the duo, Delnaaz says, “Aatish Kapadia and JD Majethia are both masters of comedy. They have given us iconic shows like Khichdi, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and many others, and I genuinely feel they are among the greatest names when it comes to comedy.”
She also praises Aatish’s approach on set. “In fact, all of us on Chumbak followed Aatish’s vision blindly. Whatever Aatish said, we followed because he was almost like a teacher on set. That is the beauty of having such a hands-on and powerful director, someone who truly becomes the captain of the ship. Aatish understands his characters so deeply that even when he narrates a scene, you immediately enter that world and start living each character. His writing and direction are so powerful that his narration itself takes you into the Chumbak Colony. Working with them was honestly a treat. We were like one big family having a picnic on set. We were there to do our scenes, but the atmosphere was always filled with fun, bonding and a genuine sense of togetherness,” she says.
Delnaaz says her priorities have changed over the years. “Today, when I choose a project, I don’t first ask how much money I will get or what the character is. I ask who the producers are and who the people behind the project are, because when you go to work, you should be happy, and when you come back home, you should feel fresh and satisfied enough to look forward to going to work the next day,” she explains.
That is what she found on Chumbak. “I am at a stage where I don’t want to work just for the sake of working. I want to be happy and satisfied with the work I do and the people I work with, and that can only happen when you have good people around you.”
She also recalls how supportive the team was when she was unwell. “Your role and character are beautifully etched out, while the actors are respected, loved and accommodated. I still remember being unwell for two days, and Aatish immediately changed the scene so that they could manage without me and then shoot my portions once I was better. That kind of understanding and flexibility creates a complete comfort zone, and that is something I truly value when I work,” Delnaaz concludes.
