Fukrey clocking 10 years calls for a double celebration for Varun Sharma, who debuted with the film. “It’s one of the biggest blessings to have debuted with a character like Choocha,” the actor says, adding, “This film and my character brought me acceptance among the audience and the film fraternity. So, it will always hold a special place in my heart... Everything I have today is because of Choocha.”

While he has many special memories associated with the film, the one thing that stands out for Sharma, 33, is featuring in a poster for the first time ever. He recounts, “I called my mother and told her. There was pin drop silence for a moment, after which she blessed me. I realised, then, the true meaning of the phrase - silence speaks a lot.”

A set full of pranks, fun BTS moments and lots of Dilli ka khana are some of the things that Ali Fazal associates with filming for Fukrey. The actor, who played Zafar, believes the film brought about a “fresh change” in Bollywood. “It was something unique that we were part of. It was revolutionary,” he tells us.

The 36-year-old is not only thankful for the film, but also for the “great friends” he made as well as for meeting his now-wife, actor Richa Chadha: “That is the best thing (laughs). Fukrey, to me, is more than just a film.”

Fazal credits the film for putting him on the map “in a big way”. “I did more meaningful films in Bollywood and not to forget, Mirzapur (web series), with Fukrey’s producers (Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani). It has been special,” he concludes.

“You know how we listen to old Hindi songs because they give us a feeling of comfort and bring us together without us realizing? That’s what I feel about Fukrey,” says actor Richa Chadha, who won hearts as Bholi Punjaban. Talking about her role, she adds: “At the time, negative characters for women were mostly restricted to saas-bahu dramas. I always felt Bholi Punjaban was very unusual.”

But, the film changed her life in more ways than one — it was also the beginning of her love story with now-husband, actor Ali Fazal. “My relationship with Ali happened very organically. I’d converse a lot with him on set. We became really good friends and a few years later, we started dating,” she shares.

Was it difficult to keep the relationship under wraps? “The entire cast was pretty close. They all kind of knew,” says Chadha, 36.

Pulkit Samrat is “very proud” to be associated with the Fukrey franchise. But the actor, who played Hunny, admits nobody thought it would receive adulation of such magnitude.

“When we started, none of us thought Fukrey would be such a huge hit that we’d end up making it a franchise,” he says, adding, “As an actor, it is one of the greatest feelings to be a part of the team... Fukrey is life.”

Samrat, 39, feels the casting was on point and that was a big plus. “We are all Fukras on the set. Somebody is goofing up or bringing the house down. What you see on screen is exactly what is going on. Manjot is very jovial; one would always find him around food stalls. Varun is just like Choocha... Also, we all have a common Delhi connect,” he says.

With all eyes now on the third part, set to release later this year, Samrat says the soul of the original will remain intact. “We can promise that Fukrey 3 will be the biggest and best part,” he signs off.

Manjot Singh had already made his mark in showbiz with Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008). But Fukrey, he says, is what gave his career an impetus. “This was the first film where I was one of the leads,” says the actor, who played Lali. “When I got a call for the role, even before listening to the script, I asked, ‘Main poster par hounga na?’ Our director, Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, said all four leads would be on the poster. So, I signed the film without reading the script,” he says.

Interestingly, Singh, 30, was cast even before the script was completed. “Mrigdeep knew I was his Lali. I was locked in his mind while he was still writing the script,” he reveals, adding that he’ll always be grateful for having landed the movie: “Yeh pehli film hai jisne humein bada banaya.”

Pata hi nahin chala kaise nikal gaye — this is Pankaj Tripathi’s reaction on his film, Fukrey, turning 10. The actor, who played Pandit, recalls how he did not have much to do in the first part; but as the story progressed, so did his character.

He tells us, “Fukrey franchise aur meri growth badi similar hai. Mere character ne apni ladai khud ladi, so much that the writers had to write more in the second instalment.”

Pandit, today, is remembered for his quick wit. But, the English lines he said were not part of the script! “Ek din set pe jab lighting chal rahi thi, someone said something, to which I replied, ‘He’s so vulgar’. Everyone started laughing. The director said, ‘Isko rakho film mein’,” chuckles Tripathi, 46.