During the pandemic-induced lockdowns, streaming platforms doled out crime thrillers one after the other. Director Rajshree Ojha’s Potluck (2021), a light-hearted show about the Shastri family that sticks together despite their personal highs and lows, came as a breath of fresh air. Almost one-and-a-half years on, the director is back with the second instalment of the Sony LIV comedy series. In a chat with mid-day, Ojha talks about how the narrative of a tight-knit family lends itself wonderfully to multiple seasons, and how she has the third season ready in her head.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

It has been a positive response. The results are so good that we will start the third season soon. I feel Potluck has found its niche audience.

The showrunners were sure that Potluck would have at least 10 seasons. To be honest, I wasn’t so sure. I like the show’s vibe, so I was sure that it should have at least three seasons. It is in the space of a sitcom, so it can continue to tell the story, like say Gilmore Girls. All we needed was the audience. My biggest fear for the second season was that it was released over a year [after the first instalment]. [I feared that] people forget [a show], especially with so much content out there.

Personally, I like to find humour in the most horrendous situations; it takes away the pressure. I always try to bring in [an element of] craziness. In this season, Dhruv [Harman Singha’s character] loses his job, and I’ve made such a drama about it. We, as Indians, [have a penchant] for melodrama.

There is a scene between the three guys [Singha, Cyrus Sahukar, and Siddhant Karnick] in which they are trying to console Dhruv, who has lost his job, but Cyrus kept cracking up. Everyone was tired laughing at one point. There is a birthday/anniversary scene, which turns hilarious. Also, a scene in the end credits — with Cyrus and Ira [Dubey] in the bathtub — will leave you in splits.

I think Harman was fantastic; he is a director’s actor. Sometimes, when I pushed him, he would get why I am doing so. There was a scene where he was having an internal struggle, which he did beautifully. Ira is my other favourite. [Her character] is shown joining a new office, plus she is trying to fit in. She captured that essence well.

Of course. We are set to have a wedding, which is in my head [at the moment]. But I don’t know what the showrunners are thinking. I think people would be keen to see who Aalim’s [Karnick] parents were, and whether he and Prerna [Shikha Talsania’s character] unite.