Veteran actor Gufi Paintal created a huge wave back in the late 80s with his role as Shakuni mama in the mythological show, Mahabharat aired on Doordarshan. His role as manipulative uncle to Duryodhan made fans loved to hate his character and he also created a huge fan base immediately. The dialogue delivery, shrewd expressions made him a household name instantly.

During a recent interaction, when Gufi was asked about his fond memory from the sets, he stated, "When Mahabharat was airing in the late eighties, I used to get thousands of letters from the Mahabharat fans. A letter I remember was from a gentleman who threatened me! He said I should stop doing evil deeds or he would break my legs! The special thing about those days was the fact that people were so innocent back then and thought that I was Shakuni Mama in real! People loved to hate me because of my character. Also, to single out any one memory would be tough as there were just so many amazing memories of working with the cast. They all are memories of life."

On being quizzed if people liked his character back then, the veteran actor said, "Amrishji (Amrish Puri) is known for playing Mogambo. Amjad Bhai (Amjad Khan) is known for playing Gabbar Singh. In my case, it is Shakuni Mama's role that I am remembered for. Shakuni Mama was like the tadka of the show. We all know 'Saadi dal khaa kar maza nahi aata' – we all need some tadka to it. Also, characters like Shakuni are so well woven into the story that they become an integral part. Without them, the story does not move!"