Surbhi Chandna Reveals Why She Refused to Cast Herself in ‘Ishq Dum Aur Idli Rassam’ Despite Fan Demand

Television star Surbhi Chandna is winning praise not just as an actress but now as a producer too with her upcoming show Ishq Dum Aur Idli Rassam. While fans were excited to see her backing the project through Feel Good Studios, many were equally curious about one thing — why didn’t Surbhi cast herself in the series?

Opening up about the show, Surbhi revealed that the idea came together during discussions with Balaji Telefilms. She shared that the makers wanted to create something in the space of Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, the romantic drama starring Divyanka Tripathi and Rajeev Khandelwal.

Talking about the creative process, Surbhi said, “When Balaji and we were about to collaborate—I mean, through ‘Feel Good Studios,’ which Karan and I own—they mentioned to us that they had a show called Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, which starred Divyanka Tripathi and Rajeev Khandelwal. So, they wanted to create something along similar lines. We said, ‘Okay, fine; we’ll make something like that.’ So, the team suggested three or four titles to them—Biryani, this, that—and among those suggestions was the title Idli Rassam.”

The actress further explained that the show dives deep into the world of restaurant kitchens and chef rivalries, blending romance with emotional storytelling. She added, “They wanted us to work on a concept involving a ‘chef romance’ or ‘chef rivalry’—something that explores what happens inside a restaurant, specifically ‘behind closed doors’ in the kitchen. We wanted to show the actual struggles that occur when there is a massive rush on a Friday or Saturday, and how the kitchen operations actually function. Plus, the show features romance, a lot of emotional depth, and strong character arcs.”

Surbhi also praised the cast and shared how proud she feels seeing the audience response already pouring in for the show. “It also boasts a truly impressive cast—a very classy ensemble. Whether it’s the primary cast or the secondary cast, it’s a league filled with incredibly talented artists,” she said.

When asked if she ever thought about casting herself in the project, especially after fans showered love on the first episode that reportedly crossed over a million views, Surbhi gave an honest and relatable answer. She admitted that producing itself is an overwhelming responsibility and juggling multiple roles together is something she is still learning.

Sharing her thoughts candidly, she said, “Well, there is a tremendous amount of work involved when you are actually producing something; it’s not easy at all, simply because the workload is immense. I mean, hats off to those actors who manage to direct, act, and produce—all within the very same project! I feel you can certainly multitask across different projects—for instance, acting in one show while producing another. But doing all three simultaneously—acting, directing, and producing—within a single project? I don't think I've mastered that particular skill just yet. That’s going to take some time. And I think it just feels like both of them are the perfect fit for the show right now.”

With a fresh concept, emotional storytelling, and a strong ensemble cast, Ishq Dum Aur Idli Rassam is already creating buzz among viewers. And while fans may miss seeing Surbhi onscreen in the project, they are clearly excited to witness her new journey as a producer.