“In the trailer alone, I think it’s at least five times,” Mithila laughs. “But honestly, we’ve lost count. Even while shooting the song, we stopped counting.”
The slaps were not choreographed or faked for effect. Vir Das, who also stars in the film, insisted that the action be real.
“He kept saying, ‘You have to slap. Otherwise, the effect won’t be the same if you’re just acting,'” Mithila recalls. What made it harder was that slapping someone does not come naturally to her. “It’s not my instinct to slap anyone. For one shot, I had to slap him four times because I just couldn’t get it right.”
The impact was real enough for Vir Das to be seen nursing his face with an ice pack between takes. “I actually saw him holding an ice pack a couple of times, especially during the song,” she says. Despite the physical discomfort, Vir never broke character. Mithila, on the other hand, did crack out of guilt. “I started laughing, and he was still in character. He just said, ‘Okay, now conviction,'” she adds.
Meeting Aamir Khan For The First Time
Beyond the on-set anecdotes, Happy Patel also marks a special milestone for Mithila, as the film features Aamir Khan in a special role. Recalling the first time she met him, Mithila admits she froze.
“I met Ira first, and we became friends. Then I met her dad in person. And even though he’s Ira’s father, he’s still Aamir Khan,” she says. “We come from a space where we’ve grown up looking up to him.”
Her first formal introduction happened years ago, during Katti Batti. “We were all at Imran’s place. There was a long table, everyone was sitting around, and Aamir walked in. I genuinely didn’t know what to say.” When Imran introduced her and mentioned that they had worked together, Aamir responded warmly. “He said, ‘Of course, I know you’re a good actor. I’ve seen you.’ That made me freeze even more,” she laughs.
Whose Friend Is Mithila? Ira Khan Or Her Husband?
Mithila’s connection with Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira came through an unexpected route. “I’ve known Ira’s husband, Nupur Shikhare, aka Popeye, since 2017. We’ve been training together for years,” she explains. Mithila was even one of Popeye’s best men at the wedding, leading many to assume she was Ira’s friend first. “Popeye jokes about it all the time. That’s how Ira and I became close,” she says.
Aamir Khan’s Approval And The Happy Patel Journey
When Happy Patel came her way, Mithila knew that Aamir Khan’s approval mattered. “With Aamir sir as a producer, you know he’s very hands-on. Everyone auditions. His approval is mandatory,” she says. After she was officially on board, Aamir personally told her he had watched her audition and liked it. “That validation meant a lot,” she adds.
The film, which also stars Mona Singh and Sharib Hashmi, brings together humour, heart, and emotionally grounded performances, something Mithila has consistently gravitated towards.
From losing count of real slaps to earning praise from one of Indian cinema’s most respected actors, Happy Patelhas clearly been a memorable ride for Mithila Palkar.