Mithila Palkar, known for her versatile performances, faced a unique challenge while filming "Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos": slapping Vir Das. The film, which marks Vir Das's directorial debut and features Imran Khan's return to the big screen, is produced by Aamir Khan and is scheduled to release on January 16, 2026.
In "Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos", Mithila Palkar plays Rupa, a skilled dancer and self-defense expert. In the film, Rupa reflexively slaps Happy (Vir Das) whenever he tries to express his affection. According to reports, Mithila Palkar had to slap Vir Das approximately 100 times for a song sequence in the movie. However, in a recent interview, Vir Das jokingly claimed that he was slapped close to 400 times during the shoot.
Palkar admitted that the aggressive and confrontational aspects of her character, including the slapping, cussing, laughing, and anger, did not come naturally to her. She said she had to surrender to the character and the director's vision. While the cussing was difficult, she found slapping Vir Das even more challenging. She felt guilty about hitting him, but Vir motivated her to commit to the scene.
According to Palkar, the most challenging part was slapping Vir and then not feeling bad afterward or laughing. She was concerned about hurting him and felt guilty each time she slapped him hard. Das, however, remained in character, which motivated Palkar to maintain her character as well.
Vir Das acknowledged that Mithila insisted on actually slapping him for the shots instead of pretending to. He recalled that Mithila said she was a method actor and needed to slap him in reality. Mithila jokingly added that she was cranky because she wanted to eat vada pav, but they were unavailable, so she took out her anger on him.
Despite the challenges, Mithila expressed her excitement about being part of "Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos". She appreciated the opportunity to work with Vir Das, praising his ability to blend his roles as director and lead actor. She also enjoyed reuniting with Imran Khan, with whom she had previously worked in "Katti Batti".
Mithila approached "Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos" as a challenge and an opportunity to experiment. She appreciated the collaborative environment on set, where the cast and crew bonded and shared a common vision. She also embraced the physical transformation required for her role, including performing her own action sequences.
"Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos" is a spy comedy that follows Happy Patel, an amateur spy, on a mission to Goa. The film features an ensemble cast, including Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi, and Srushti Tawade. Aamir Khan makes a cameo appearance in the film.
