It was 1997 when Kamal Haasan’s directorial Chachi 420, starring him in the lead, was released in the theatres setting the box office on fire. 25 years later, it is tagged as a cult. While other than Haasan, the movie featured talents like Tabu, Paresh Rawal and the late Amrish Puri, it also had actor Fatima Sana Shaikh, as a child actor in the role of Bharti.

Remind Shaikh, 30, that the film completes 25 years today and she sounds amazed. “Kya baat kar rahe ho! Oh My God. It is so mad. That’s my first film, can you imagine? I just have fond memories. I was a kid so I don’t really remember much, but maza aaya tha,” an elated Shaikh shares.

Over the years, the cast members have gone their own way. Shaikh hopes that a reunion of the cast members happens soon. “I met Akshara (Haasan, Kamal’s daughter) recently and she recalled things that even I did not remember. I have spoken to Tabu once or twice and Kamal Haasan once. (But) I hope there’s a reunion on the 25th anniversary. I would love to meet all of them,” she says.

Shaikh, who has shared screen space with biggies like Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, recalls sharing screen space with the other biggies at the age of five. “Diggaj logon ke saath kaam karne ka mauka mila. People on set were really nice. Kamal Hassan was really good and there were so many talented people. When I look back, I feel, so lucky. Everyone from that film is a legend today. Back then, I couldn’t understand the film, but now when I watch the film, zyada samajh aati. I watched it last year and it’s still so funny,” she elaborates.

Until Dangal (2016) Shaikh was tagged as the Chachi 420 girl for a really long time, especially when she was working on TV. Talking about the attention, she reveals, “I used to be very shy, I didn’t like the attention. I used to feel very embarrassed. Even today I am embarrassed with attention but back then aur zyada ajeeb lagta tha.”