The Role Sends Out A Message Of Age Shaming And Body Shaming That Needs To Be Told”: Delnaaz Irani On Her Cameo In Hui Gumm Yaadein

Mumbai: Senior actress Delnaaz Irani has entered Sony SAB’s medical drama Hui Gumm Yaadein, produced by Sobo Films, where she steps into the shoes of Chandni Khanna, a former superstar with a flair for the dramatic.
Describing the character, Delnaaz said, “Chandni is an ex-superstar like the heroine of 90’s. She has a fandom and is flamboyant, but with age she is kind of feeling that no one will ask her anymore, not the paps, not the journalists and neither the fans. The role, she added, carries a powerful message about age shaming and body shaming that she felt strongly needed to be told.
Asked about her reasons for taking up what is essentially a cameo, Delnaaz was clear that the role itself was the deciding factor. “Usually when there is a cameo you see how meaty the role is, so as an actor I wanted to understand the role,” she said, adding that the themes resonated with her deeply. Her prior association with Sobo Films on the show Rajnandani also made the decision easier. “I really loved the whole setup and they are very professional, have got very good people and a very good production team,” she noted.

The actress spoke warmly about her experience on the sets of the show, singling out the calm and composed atmosphere. She credited director Noel Smit for setting the tone. “When the director is calm and knows the job so well, everything works smoothly,” she said. Despite the pressure of a thin episode bank, Delnaaz recalled that everything was handled seamlessly. “The production is so sorted, with an excellent cast and crew, and everyone was so respectful,” she shared.
Reuniting with Iqbal Khan, her co-star from the popular show Karam Apna Apna, was another highlight for her. “We had some great memories of that show and now working with him on this set is amazing. He is such a happy, calm and lovable person and I really loved working with Iqbal after so many years,” she said.
On the broader question of how television has changed over the years, Delnaaz pointed to the quality of scripting and the courage to experiment. “Sony SAB comes with so many different kinds of shows. I think audiences need to give newer concepts and new shows a chance, and it is happening. People are looking at the change and this change is for the better,” she said.
She also put forward a strong case for finite shows as the future of the medium. “As an actor, I would really want the biggest change to be the coming up of finite shows, and that would make TV really interesting. We see shows going off air in three to six months, but at least in finite shows you know the duration, and that would be so much easier for everyone,” she reasoned.
Delnaaz was candid about being selective in the projects she takes up. “I always give myself that little gap,” she acknowledged, adding that monetary considerations no longer drive her choices alone. “I have worked at many places in the past where the role was fantastic or the money was very good, but right now I am at a point where I feel I need to work with good people around me, and the role has to be good,” she said. “I always believe that when you go to work, you should go with a happy face and come back with a smile too. I do not want to go to places where I only make money and come home sad.”