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This established fact cannot be ignored by most of the television viewers that cinema and tele-serials reflect contemporary society’s thought and ideas. Two sides of a coin are depicted through television programs and each and every character plays important role in showing the reality of the contemporary society as if they are telling the story of the society. Yes I am talking about Bhabijit Ghar Pe Hai! (Sister In Law, Are you at home?) which is an Indian television serial which has found its inspiration from 90’s hit Shriman Shrimati. It is full of comedy and fun. But if the serious thoughts are given with a perfect tough of deep analytical thinking, it would be evident that a story of dark reality of the Indian society is being told under the disguise of comedy and each and every character is telling story of their plights. Human’s tendency of having erotic fantasy or forbidden desire and co-existence of modernism and back datedness were also depicted through this television program. Now let’s get straight to the discussion on the insight analysis of the characters of this television program.
•Vibhuti Narayan Mishra: It represents those kind of people who despite being possessors of good quality education, live the lives of unemployed with disgrace in lives and lives are full of frustration for those unemployed people who are married as they will have to put up with tantrums thrown by their wives on them. This is the reality of the third world country—people get degrees easily, but have to struggle a lot for getting a job; even if they get job, the possibility of being the victim of job dissatisfaction cannot be ruled out. If people do not get job, they become frustrated especially men. And in the Indian society’s context, it is disgrace for men to live on the income of wives just like Vibhuti Narayan Mishra does live on the income of Anita Mishra, his wife and daily tolerates her tantrums thrown at him. Even all the household works are done by Vibhuti act of which is seen as a disgrace in the male dominated society of India. Working as insurance aged being first class graduate degree holders cannot be appreciated by society. Despite being unemployed, he is driven by the hidden desire of having erotic relations with his neighbour’s wife Anguri Tiwari.
•Anita Mishra: This character was portrayed as independent, smart and modern lady who is the sole bread earner in family. This character is the representative of the idea that propagates that women can also be the main role player when it comes to earning bread for the family. He is seen as dominant and intelligent lady and it breaks away the so-called traditional feudalistic notion that champions the idea of keeping women confined into house and that perceives women as baby production machine. Being a married for long time, she has the right to not being pregnant against her will and she does not hesitate in telling that to his husband Vibhuti. Although, being a responsible wife she is worried and irritated seeing her husband’s unemployment and laziness, she always stays with her husband and gives him good suggestions. She is also loyal to his husband and does not leave her despite having unemployed husband.
•Manmohan Tiwari: This character has similarity with Vibhuti Narayan Mishra. But in some aspects it has dissimilarities. Unlike Vibhuti Narayan Mishra, he is not so educated, but being a small businessman of undergarments, he earns sufficient amount of money for keeping his wife happy. He belongs to middle class family and he is put under irremovable pressure from his father-in-law and mother as they interfere in each and every matter related to his married life. Being frustrated with the current status of married life, he fantasizes Anita Mishra as his wife and seductress and does not miss a chance of going to her. He likes to keep his wife under his toe and he sees his wife nothing more than a cooking machine which reflects the typical feudalistic mentalities of male dominated society of India.
•Anguri Tiwari: This character portrays the typical pictures of an Indian woman who is loyal, homely and sensitive to other people’s plight. He is typical countryside woman who likes to stick to tradition instead of possessing modern thoughts like Anita Mishra. Though she sometimes doubts his husbands for the fear of losing him, but she loves him from the core of her heart. Her famous dialogue “Sahi Pakde Hai”(You got it right) reflects the typical mentality of accepting anything without putting question in reasonable manner.
•Happu Singh: It portrays the picture of those people who despite being given the responsibility of maintaining law and order in society, engage themselves in unlawful activities like bribing for the getting the work done. Like all other men, he also has got eyes on beautiful women like Anita Mishra, but being Uniform man, he is unable to express his erotic fantasy.
•Saxena Ji: This character is interesting as it portrays those people who being lunatic, always speak out truth without hiding anything and get severe cruel treatment from society for being expressive. How the society behaves with lunatic mentally unstable people, has been shown through this character.
•Malkhan & Tika: They were shown as vagrant unemployed people who wander around without having any specific purpose in life and poke nose in each and everyone’s matters. They represent those people who are being frustrated with the current system and employment policy of the Government. Unemployment gives birth to laziness.
•Bhoorey Lal: Anguri Tiwari’s father who is always worried for his daughter being father and holds her husband responsible if anything wrong happens with her daughter. It portrays the picture of a father who loves her daughter more than anything else, not those fathers who get rid of all responsibilities after the marriage of their daughters.
•Ramkali: She is exceptional being a mother-in-law. Generally it is seen that a mother-in-law always takes care of the interests of her son. But here Ramkali being a mother-in-law takes care of her daughter-in-law and also makes sure that her son Manmohan Tiwari takes care of the interests of Anguri.
Despite being a good comedy show, this tele-serial reflects the dark side of the society’s plight and points out some inner problems of our society which compel us to draw a comparative analysis on the current status of the society.
Critical Analysis of The Characters of The Television Program "Bhabiji Ghar Pe Hai !"
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