Dramas & Dreams

There is a quirky show in town that is sneaking up the popularity charts silently but consistently. & TV’s Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain has surprisingly proved out to be a very lucky  experiment in  the comedy genre on Indian TV. There is nothing grand about it. The staple elements from an ordinary indian TV viewer’s appetite are blatantly missing.So what makes it so popular despite the low key affair that it is in terms of production?
An extraordinary hilarious script. Bhabhiji Ghar par hain charms with its simplicity and lack of pretentiousness.
The theme is pretty adult- Two married men lusting after each other’s wives. Surprisingly,it still makes for a totally eandearing family show,thanks to an execution which keeps it sweetly innocent. Now how do you keep a theme of adultery innocent? That’s where Bhabhiji’s ingenuity lies. It’s not just innocent, it’s dangerously disarming,and that too, for an audience of all ages.

The Tiwaris are typical small towners, where the husband has an upper hand as the sole bread winner of the family. His wife Angoori is delightfully unexposed to the world and carries the major appeal of the show on her shoulders. Her world revolves around her husband, and an overtly pious conscience coupled with an utter naivety  lend a clean aura to this daring theme. Angoori’s expressions when she does not understand the advances of her neighbour, Vibhuti Narayan, will leave you in  fits of laughter. And then there are the feisty dialogues that come from her when you least expect it, which increase the humor quotient to a notch higher.

The Mishras who live across the street are exactly opposite to Tiwaris. An educated urban couple, they are quite the talk of the town because Amrita Mishra garners an attention equivalent to that of a white foreigner due to her looks. She has a very sophisticated demeanour and dominates her house hold as the bread winner. But her husband,although loyal and cute in his obedience  to her, has hots for the desi Angoori Tiwari next door. Vibhuti’s  antics to get his “Bhabhji’s” attention often land him in trouble, reminiscent of the tragedy-comedy genre. His character accentuates the innocence that BGPH banks on, as he is a man who turns his lust into reverence, whenever he feels he is crossing the line.

Manmohan Tiwari, complacent about his desi wife, idolises Anita Mishra and nourishes his secret love for her with abandon. He is always on the lookout to impress Vibhuti’s wife through new antics , not leaving any stone unturned to show Vibhuti down. The enimosity between the two men makes the show obscenely funny, thanks to the constant witty repartees. But these two competitors are also drinking buddies who often co conspire to undo the mess they create.

These two families are supported by quirky characters, akin to comic strips that count on the Comedy of the Queer. The town policeman is a fat pan chewing guy with a hilarious accent and a weird hairdo. The town sabzi wala sings a song that does not rhyme at all to sell his vegetables.The shock- loving Saxena squints his eyes and utters ” I like it”, in a most abhorrable yet funny manner, if his body is subjected to any kind of shock. The comic strip set up is something that gives the show a reassuring quality that only comes with light entertainement The town is made of very simplistic sets that reminds us that it is mocking reality and not imitating it.

Bhabiji Ghar Par hain is the line used by both husbands when they come looking for their “bhabhijis” and thus makes for a very apt and catchy title for the show.  Wether like it or not, the show cant be ignored for the statement it is making: A show does not need big budget, heavy promotions or dazzling sets to be popular, all we need is engaging content and quality actors. Everything else is just icing on the cake.