Bhabhiji Ghar Par, Jijaji Chhat Par— A Review Of India's Comedy Serials

Indian television has been doing great with serials like Bhabhiji ghar par hai (Sister-In-Law Is At Home), May I come in Madam, and the latest in the fray, Jijaji chhat par hai (Brother-In-Law Is At The Terrace). However gross these may sound, but it seems to be the reality of Indian television. But, why are such indecent and depraved shows on the rise? Is it really the people interested?

There must be a significant number of people watching such shows to make it viable as it is not easy to sustain a failed show, especially on TV, where. I won't comment whether these kinds of serials should air on TV or not. It’d be intruding to an artist's freedom of expression, his right to express an idea, be it in form of non-fiction speech, or with some fictional characters telling a story. These shows are just harmless entertainment meant for making you laugh, right? However, if you ask me, my opinion would be that, in the name of comedy, the makers of such sitcoms are either fooling the people, or themselves. Some of you might have started to judge me as conservative. That’s again is your right!

Review

Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai

In Bhabhiji ghar par hai, there are several characters that are easily relatable to the people. For example, the corrupt daroga (Inspector) Happu Singh, who goes on telling everyone that he has 9 children and his wife is pregnant, two unemployed young guys Tika and Malkhan doing eve-teasing and odd jobs for money only to spend it in “wrong places”. Or, Ramkali (Amma Ji), the astrology-obsessed women who ask pandit Ramphal the solution to her personal problems, but pandit Ramphal's solution often makes thing worse for them. While most other Indian shows, the serious ones, are still based on the saas-bahu conspiracy theory, it offers a twist. Here, you'll find Saas loving her bahu and literally whipping her son. Obviously, these are a sheer exaggeration, but similar characters in their mild form do exist in reality.

Jijaji Chhat Par Hai

In Jijaji chhat par hai, there is a man named Murari Bansal who owns a saree-lehenga shop in Chandni Chowk. He lives with his wife Karuna, and a free-spirited and candid daughter Elaichi, who even at the age of 22, continues to go to school by deliberately flunking each year to avoid living a mature girl’s life and to dodge or postpone her marriage. The twist came when Murari allot his rooftop room to Pancham as a part of his employee’s special benefit. Pancham, a 24-year-old boy from Agra who aspires to be a music director had come to Delhi with his best friend Pintu, both of whom have to struggle in the big city to make their dream come true. Pancham lands up working with Murari to make ends meet. Interestingly, Murari is determined not to rent his room to bachelors, that’s why Pancham fakes being married and disguises Pintu, as a woman posing as his wife. Elaichi then teases Pancham after figuring out what is going on, and the show revolves around the attempts by the tenants to hide their secret by appeasing the daughter.

I seriously find this sitcom an alien concept. No character here seems real in any form, and hence not relatable. I find Jijaji chhat par hai, a feminist version of bhabhiji ghar par hai. It's a classic example of copying others idea and giving it a twist. Here, the maker has reversed the earlier story of the earlier ‘popular show’ on the gender lines. The later is hit among the public it is because of this fact that they are making soaps having a similar story. Also, ‘bhabhiji’ is a versatile term used for brother’s wife, a friend's or acquaintance’s wife, and for neighbours, as it is the case here. But, ‘jijaji’ is a term used specifically for sister’s husband. So, they probably made a blunder here. I’m not justifying the usage of the former term in the manner they did. Portraying a relationship in a lewd manner reduces its value, and make it prone to doubts, suspicion and insecurity.

Let me say something about the show I've loved watching since childhood and still watch it sometimes. It is the "old episodes" of Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma. Here, the story, besides being comical, used to be theme-based. For example, "Problems toh hai sab ke saath bas nazariye ki hai baat". It was their catchy tagline but they keep their work precisely to meet the expectations. However, after a point, the saturation point, the creativity has died. Now, they're somehow making it flow. In the new episodes, you can see bad writing, overreacting actors, stupidity, and most importantly, 'boring'. I really don't like criticizing the show I’ve grown up watching.

I am not a 'daily soap reviewer', I just shared my views about the kind of shows mushrooming on the Indian TV. It is the viewers who will decide the fate of such shows. Whether it shall be adored or shunned is to find out. The content shown on the TV is highly censored that's why it suits all ages, including children or elderly. Otherwise, you know that there are sh*ts everywhere on the internet.

Here are the ratings:

Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma (earlier)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bhabhiji ghar par hai
⭐⭐⭐

Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma (now)
⭐⭐

Jijaji chhat par hai
⭐