Jun 10, 2026 6:00pm IST
Vrajesh Hirjee shares ‘Golmaal’ memories: ‘When I did the first movie, I was quaking in my boots’ (EXCLUSIVE)
With most of his work on “Golmaal 5” already completed, actor Vrajesh Hirjee says returning to one of Hindi cinema’s longest-running comedy franchises has felt less like work and more like a reunion with old friends. “I did the bulk of my work in April and May. I have a couple of days of work left yet,” Hirjee says.
The first film of the franchise helmed by Rohit Shetty began in 2006 with “Golmaal: Fun Unlimited,” which was followed by “Golmaal Returns” (2008), “Golmaal 3” (2010) “Golmaal Again” (2017), and now “Golmaal 5.” The series features Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Kemmu, along with a returning ensemble cast including Sanjay Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari, Vrajesh Hirjee, Ashwini Kalsekar, Murali Sharma and Johnny Lever.
‘It’s literally like a reunion on set’
About reuniting with the cast for the fifth installment, he adds, “It was such a joy. There are such beautiful people, and it’s such an incredible atmosphere on set. It’s like meeting old friends after a while.”
For Hirjee, the camaraderie among the cast remains one of the franchise’s biggest strengths. “It’s literally like a reunion. It’s like either you’ve gone into their living room or they’ve come into yours.”
Unlike on many film sets, where actors retreat to their vans between shots, the “Golmaal” cast prefers to spend time together. “We all hang out together. There’s a holding area where we’re just sitting and chatting. We were doing a lot of the work at night, so we weren’t going back to the vans. We were sitting in the holding area and catching up on each other’s lives.”
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From ‘Quaking in My Boots’ to Fan Favorite
Reflecting on the franchise’s longevity, Hirjee admits even he is surprised by how much time has passed. “It’s among the longest franchises in Hindi cinema, isn’t it? At some point, someone pulled out old pictures and I was like, ‘Who are these people? When did we have so much hair?’”
When “Golmaal” first began, however, the actor was worried about how his character would be received. “When I did the first movie, I was quaking in my boots, thinking whether what I was doing would get across to the audience or not. I was playing this guy who is acting like a snake. I mean, what’s going on? There was so much physical comedy involved in it. But people do remember the character. There is incredible recall,” he shares.
The ‘Joy Quotient’ Behind ‘Golmaal’s’ Success
Asked why “Golmaal” has succeeded where many comedy franchises have struggled to sustain themselves, Hirjee says, “That’s a tough one to answer. I don’t know about the others. But as far as ‘Golmaal’ is concerned, I think it’s the joy quotient. It’s evident that it gives us joy on screen, and therefore that joy translates to the viewing experience.”
He believes audiences connect with the films because they offer an escape from everyday worries. Hirjee shares, “Whenever we go to watch a film, there are 40 other things on our minds — life, work, relationships. With ‘Golmaal,’ your stress just vanishes. It pulls you into a world where you just go along for the ride. It’s just the joy. It’s a shared thing between the audience and whatever is happening on screen.”
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