A few months down the line, when writer-producer-director Aatish Kapadia’s maiden Hindi film based on the hugely popular and hilarious Khichdi hits the screens, viewers will have to rack their brains looking for Vandana Pathak who played the saucy, bitchy yet dil ki saaf widow, Jayshree bhabhi. Because Pathak won’t be in the film. “I just couldn’t do it. There were date issues. Both Aatish and JD tried to work it out but I was busy with my Gujarati play and also accompanying my son to his cricket camps, so there was no way we could do it. I know it’s very sad and it’s my loss entirely but kya Karen it happens,” shrugs Pathak. The supremely funny actress who became popular as the belan-wielding activist-sister in Ekta Kapoor’s Hum Paanch was one of the main characters of Khichdi and then the new-improved Instant Khichdi. “Yes, Khichdi is an important part of my life and we were a tight knit family both on and off screen. The pleasure was entirely mind to play Jayshree bhabhi. She was not a completely negative character; she was human and so were the rest. I do feel bad to have not been part of Aatish’s first film but I’m sure he has done a great job with it. Nimisha, a Gujarati theatre actress is doing my role in the film while the rest of the cast remains the same. It had to be that way because Khichdi can’t be the same without its original characters.” Meanwhile, Anang Desai who played the patriarch in Khichdi is only happy to be reprising the role. “I can’t tell you how much fun it was to be part of the film. The same team except Vandana was in its element. And Aatish has come up with such a funny story that I can’t wait for it to release. He has tweaked it a bit considering it’s a film and yes as you are asking, he too has kept in mind about the new cinema viewers who may have been unaware of the sitcom. So the film has everything for both the loyal Khichdi viewers and the new film audience. No one will feel left out as enough care has been taken. The film is in its post production and there are a couple of songs too. The title will remain the same though I think they are planning to add a tagline. And of course, a couple of interesting cameos like Farah Khan’s. I am keeping my fingers crossed for this film as only after its release will I take up other films as the kind of quality we have achieved with Khichdi is something I want to repeat in whatever film I do next,” smiles Desai. Both Desai and Pathak are currently seen in the recently launched Mrs and Mr Sharma Allahabadwale.