TV actress Shubhangi Atre is gearing up for the release of her debut Bollywood movie, 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain: Fun On The Run.' The movie is a big-screen extension of their hit show of the same name and it also stars Aasif Sheikh and Rohitashv Gour.
In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, Shubhangi Atre, who became famous as Angoori Bhabhi from the hit show, said more than being nervous, she feels responsible as the show has a legacy of its own.
“I am very, very nervous. There is a huge transition from TV to film. Of course, anxiety and nervousness are there. I feel there is more responsibility as well. What will be the audience’s response?” she said.
Shubhangi said that the moment the team learned about the maker's decision to turn the show into a film, they all were excited.
"When we got to know they were planning to make a movie on this iconic show, we all were very excited, thrilled, and happy. Our writer, Manoj Santoshi, who passed away last year, had it as his biggest dream. His biggest dream was to make a movie on this show. Finally, the film is releasing. He’s not with us, but I think this will be a big opportunity for him, from the bottom of our hearts," she told us from her Mumbai home.
Prior to Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain, the cult show Khichdi was made into a movie. Its second part was also released in 2025. Shubhangi says she feels lucky that their show has now been converted into a movie.
“I think this is the second time that a daily TV show is turning into a movie. After Khichdi, Bhabhiji is the second show. We are very lucky and very fortunate. I feel very lucky that I am part of this film," she said.
Shubhangi Atre, who had joined the show in 2016, stepped down from her role of Angoori Bhabhi in the TV show last year.
She had stepped into the shoes of Angoori Bhabhi from actress Shilpa Shinde and admitted that there was a lot of pressure at that time but she decided to add her flavor to the character and it worked in her favor.
"Initially, I always felt a responsibility. I was not scared. I was not in stress. But I could feel that sense of responsibility that I have to give my 100 percent. I had to work hard. Being an actor at that time, this was all I had. This was my way of handling crisis management," she said.
Shubhanhi said she only focused on her work and eventually made it her own role: “I just became like a horse. I was very focused. No matter what, everyone’s eyes were on me. I didn’t take stress. Honestly, I was a little scared, but I was not in tension. I decided I would do it my way.”
Adapting my mother's habits in playing Angoori
Shubhangi said she believes that performance is rooted in lived experience.
“A character is an extension of your own personality. Whatever you have learned, experienced, and observed comes into it. My mother is a housewife. When she works, she sings in the kitchen and this is what I adapted for my role while playing Angoori. She is my biggest inspiration. Whatever task I was given, I had to do it with honesty and dedication. When you do something from your heart, it reaches people. You can’t lie to the camera," says Shubhangi.
We also asked her about the difference between shooting for a television show and film; Shubhangi said it felt largely seamless.
“It was not different at all. The characters were the same. We carried the same nuances as the TV show.
There were new actors, but it didn’t feel new. They blended in naturally," she added.
Shift from TV to OTT
Shubhangi, who has worked in TV since 2007 and delivered many superhit shows like Kasturi, Kasauti Zindagi Kay,Kasturi and to name a few, says the audience's viewing habits have evolved over the years and that TV needs to evolve in order to stay relevant.
"Different mediums cater to different audiences. For rural audiences, it’s TV. For urban audiences, it’s OTT. OTT allows experiments, and TV also needs to move forward. If we stick to mother-in-law, daughter-in-law or kitchen politics, TV needs to take a step forward and be experimental," she said.
Talking about the real reason that a comedy show like Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain has been successfully running on TV since 2015, Shubhangi credited 'relatability.' She said it was the first show to have attracted 'male audiences in large numbers.'
“Each and every character is very relatable. That is why it has lasted for 11 years. It was one of the first shows that attracted a male audience in large numbers. There was healthy, cute flirting. No one crossed limits. That’s why it worked. Bhabhiji was one of the first shows that attracted male audiences in large numbers," she added.
Signs off as Angoori, want to try new roles
As for returning to the show as Angoori Bhabhi, Shubhangi said she wants to try other roles and that her part with this role was done.
“With this show, definitely I am done. I did my bit and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It has been a blessing for me. I am grateful to the makers, the channel, my co-actors, and the crew. It was an incredible journey.” Looking ahead, she said, “I wanted to explore myself as an actor. I wanted to surprise myself. My parents and my daughter also told me to try something different. There couldn’t have been better closure than this. Now, I am looking forward to new characters and different kinds of roles. I want to learn something new and be seen in a new form," she said before signing off.
Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain! Fun on the Run is going to be released in theaters on February 6, 2026. It is based on the popular TV show of the same name.
The film is directed by Shashank Bali, and it stars Aasif Sheikh, Rohitashv Gour, Shubhangi Atre, Ravi Kishan and Mukesh Tiwari in lead roles. The movie is about a hilarious entanglement of the main characters with gangsters on a road trip.
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