When Rishi Kapoor screamed at Juhi Chawla on Sharmaji Namkeen sets: ‘Why are you behaving like an insecure actor?’

Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor shared the screen space for the first time in 1992 release Bol Radha Bol. Now, their last on-screen appearance is going to be in Sharmaji Namkeen, which is set to have a direct-to-OTT release. Talking about Sharmaji Namkeen, Juhi could not hold back her tears as the film marks Rishi Kapoor’s last project. Rishi Kapoor passed away in 2020. He had shot for a major portion of the film; makers completed it with Paresh Rawal after his demise.
Director Hitesh Bhatia described his debut film as a “roller-coaster” ride but has promised that it conss “a mix of ingredients” that makes it a “good film.”
Juhi, revisiting her Sharmaji Namkeen journey, called it a film that was “so much fun but at the same time, heartbreaking.” She then shared how she found it amazing that the makers were focused on completing the film no matter what.
“A few weeks after Chintu ji (Rishi Kapoor) passed away, Ritesh Sidhwani from Excel Entertainment called me and said, ‘We will take this through to the end. We will not abandon this.’ I was like I am all there for it. I love the film. I loved working with Chintu ji. I was quite heartbroken when he left us. So, with this film, we went through a bouquet of emotions. But I am happy to see that it is complete and set to release,” Juhi expressed.

When asked about her fondest memory of working with the legendary Rishi Kapoor, Juhi smiled and replied, “There were so many incidents… so many. Early in my career, I used to be so in awe of him because I was standing in front of ‘the’ Chintu Ji. I was like a newcomer in front of him. I would forget my lines, fumble and everything. So, I have seen him from then to now.” She spoke about how acting in front of him was always a task for her, but with time, the process turned smoother as she became more comfortable in her craft.
Narrating her experience of working with Rishi Kapoor in Sharmaji Namkeen, Juhi said she was always scolded him.
“I always had him scolding me on the sets. Always,” Juhi remembered, adding that this time around, she would start giggling every time he would get angry on her. “When he started scolding, I started giggling. It was so much fun to work with him. Pyaar se daante hai wo.”
She then spoke about how the script of Sharmaji Namkeen was tailormade for Rishi Kapoor. “When I heard it, I was very envious as an actor. It is such a perfect script for him. The moment I read the script, I could hear him speak these lines.”

Remembering one of the days on Sharmaji Namkeen sets, Juhi recalled how Rishi Kapoor screamed at her because she was checking the monitor. The legendary actor called Juhi Chawla an “insecure actor.”
“On the sets, when scenes were going on, Chintu ji was effortless and sparkling. And I was standing in front of him and struggling with my takes. I knew what was happening inside me. I was like, ‘Chintu ji ke itne acche shots hai. Mere nahi aayenge toh not good. (He gave such good shots. If I would not match up, it won’t look nice).’ I would keep running to the monitor just to see ki maine take theek kiya ki nahi. So, Chintu ji was like – ‘monitor is not meant for actors. Why are you behaving like an insecure actor? Hitesh, why are you allowing her to see the monitor.’ I would crack up, but still went and saw the monitor. I loved all that. Great fun,” Juhi said.
Adding to the actor, Hitesh said Rishi Kapoor was against seeing the monitor. “He would never see the monitor after his shots were done. Even if you ask him, he would say, ‘It is your job. I don’t want to see anything,” he said, adding, “I used to enjoy working with him.”
Sharmaji Namkeen will stream on Amazon Prime Videon from March 31 onwards.