It’s absolute content bliss, a heavenly experience for anyone who enjoys quality entertainment. If there was any desi TV show which we all wanted to make a comeback, it’s got to be the cult comic classic Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. Finally, twelve years down the road our wishes have been fulfilled. One show which made all wake up early in the morning (6am) and binge watch on a series is Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take 2 on Hotstar.
And guess what? The show’s indeed intriguing. The makers (JD Majethia and Aatish Kapadia) have ensured that when we watch the first episode of season 2, it does not appear as much time has flown under the bridge. All the characters (high-class socialite Maya, impish Indravadan and forever lost Rosesh etc) … ring similar characteristics like they were back on Star One. Importantly the actors also resemble the old avatars, which might have been quite challenging to look identical a decade down the road. Season 2 is now set in 2017 so there are obvious mentions of social media, online booking et al.
Full credit must be given to the original core cast (Satish Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Sumeet, Rupali and Rajesh Kumar), for having stuck together, merging efforts and energies, a rare happening in the otherwise flippant entertainment industry
Also following the new norm where fresh seasons always start on a high, the Sarabhai clan is shown travelling in a bus hanging precariously on a cliff all because a stingy Monisha (Rupali Ganguly) wanted to save money by hiring a cheap alcoholic driver. The eye grabbing scene infuses the desired amount of comedy in the plot.
The only new addition is Sahil (Sumeet Raghavan) and Monisha’s seven year old son and we will need to watch a few episodes to find out what his quirks are. Aishwarya Sakhuja acts well playing the sophisticated clairvoyant Sonya (Sahil’s married sister). Here, full credit must be given to the original core cast (Satish Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Sumeet, Rupali and Rajesh Kumar), for having stuck together, merging efforts and energies, a rare happening in the otherwise flippant entertainment industry. The acting of all the above principles is as spot on as before. Satish Shah’s meticulous performance brings a whiff of fresh air and Rupali’s eccentric niceties add on to the overall flavor.
Dynamic Deven Bhojani (Dushyant) is equally good as the tech crazy son-in-law of the Sarabhai clan.
The glitch lies in the fact that the makers played way to safe to open well. Having said that, one can argue that why fix what is not broken
The backdrop has changed a tad from a South Mumbai flat to a pent house, but yes Monisha and Sahil’s pad is still unkempt as before. These little nostalgic nuggets beautify the overall experience.
While we had a hearty laugh throughout, we must also share that the plot does get a bit draggy after a point of time wherein one searches for some comic succor.
Being relatable is fine but the glitch lies in the fact that the makers played way to safe to open well. Having said that, one can argue that why fix what is not broken. And even internationally basic character designs and show plot lines remain the same season after season.
One more benefit of taking the online route is that one can watch at your convenience and on the go, but here the makers have not gone the whole hog and did not release the entire 10 episodes season in one go. They hope to create a buzz eventually planning to return to broadcast, as online revenues are still very less and JD has always maintained that Sarabhai vs Sarbhai is an expensive show to mount. The mention of the male organ although in the vein of peeing, would still have not been possible on broadcast space, whereas digital allows space to push the envelope.
Overall, a good beginning but the coming episodes have to deliver much more to ensure Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take 2 attains cult status as well.
Indianwikimedia would rate 3.5/5.
What’s your take? Let us know.
