&TV comedy show Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain (Edit II Productions) is among the very few TV shows to have crossed over 1000 episodes. “We will now soon reach 1200 episodes. Like I have always maintained, it is a complete team effort. My technical unit (cameraman) has been with me for over 25 years”, says producer Benaifer Kohli.
“The brains behind the show, i.e. the trio of creative producer (husband Sanjay Kohli), writer (Manoj Santoshi) and director (Shashank Bali), work in complete unison. If sometimes I don’t get Sanjay, I touch base with the others and they have equally good ideas.”
“Any show is incomplete without the cast and I am blessed to work with Aashif Sheikh, Rohitash Gaud, Shubhangi Atre Poorey and Saumya Tandon. They are not only very good actors but great human beings to boot. I am really fond of Rohitash, wanting to put him in my purse and take him home till my next show.”
“Not only them, the entire support cast is equally important. Tikkha (Vaibhav Mathur) and Malkhan (Deepesh Bhan) began as outsiders, but soon became part of the main families, for their roles are so well written.”
“I always reward loyalty. No wonder I gave Yogesh Tripathi (Daroga Happu Singh) the lead role in Happu Ki Ultan Pultan. He deserves it; poor guy is running from one set to the other, as we can’t reduce his role in Bhabhiji as well.”
Benaifer, who had also produced FIR, admits that a bit of monotony has crept into Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain! “It is not easy, given that we can’t move away too much from what our loyal audiences expect. But we are adding fresh life and it is working. Our numbers have again crossed over 1.”
Ask whether Tiwari’s character can also be made to adorn all kinds of disguises like Vibhuti (Aashif), and she says, “We would love to, but it will not work creatively, for Anita (Saumya), unlike Angoori (Shubhangi), is not dumb and so would catch him. We don’t want to go against the character grain for just an episode ratings spike.”
Benaifer is very thankful to &TV for having given her and Sanjay complete freedom for both Bhabhiji and Happu. “This blind trust only pushes us to work that much harder. &TV and us are like family, where we do have our share of differences, but then love and trust eventually call the shots.”
“I was really touched by the 3d mementos that the channel recently gifted us . “Besides money, we also need motivation. So when they threw a party for us, it really felt good. No one does so much.”
“I really am inspired by Zee TV head, Subhash Chandra. He is a visionary,” ended she.