Shubhangi Atre: Didn't want to replace Shilpa Shinde in 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain'

In May 2016, Shubhangi Atre Poorey replaced Shilpa Shinde as Angoori Bhabhi on popular Hindi sitcom 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain' following Shinde's public fallout with the show's producer Benaifer Kohli and channel head Vikas Gupta. 

Shilpa had become the nation's favourite bhabhi in her one-year stint on the show and getting into her shoes was obviously difficult for Shubhangi. 

“Shubhangi is an ideal combination of innocence and attractiveness. She is a fabulous actor and I think she will make an exceptional Angoori Bhabhi and will capture everyone’s heart with ease,” Benaifer Kohli, producer of the show, had then said about Shubhangi replacing Shilpa.

Shubhangi has been successfully playing the role of Angoori Bhabhi for almost three years, now. However not many know that when Shubhangi was approached to play the part back in 2016, she wasn't too keen to take it up considering how popular the character was. And also because it would have been the second time that she'd be replacing Shilpa in a TV show. She had also replaced Shilpa in 'Chidiya Ghar', earlier. 

In a recent interview to Hindustan Times, Shubhangi revealed, "It was just a coincidence. But, I didn't want to replace Shilpa for the second time."

But, her daughter Ashi made her rethink about the opportunity before passing it off. "I wasn't scared to play the part, which was already so popular among the audience, but had inhibitions that if something goes wrong then the character's impact might get affected," Shubhangi explained. 

Earlier in 2016, Shubhangi had told reporters at a press conference that she would never ape Shilpa.

“I want to do something new in essaying the popular role of Angoori bhabhi and make my own mark so that people don’t say I am a copy cat of Shilpa. I want to create a separate niche for myself while delivering Angoori bhabhi’s role. I knew that people will draw comparisons between Shilpa and me and I take this positively,” she had said.

Well, Shubhangi surely walked the talk and perhaps achieved more than what she may have envisaged then.

'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain' also stars Aashif Sheikh, Saumya Tandon and Rohitash Gaud.