For years, our Gujarati folks have been referred to as a bunch of jovial and vibrant beings who have a never ending supply of ‘Dhoklas’ and ‘Fafdas’ running in their blood, which help them remain charged as they randomly break out in a round of Garba at any and every occasion they get.
Stereotypical much? Don’t blame us! That’s what the Indian television shows have done to us. From Ekta Kapoor’s never ending saga ‘Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi’ to the high on drama and humour ‘Tarak Mehta ka Ulta Chashma’ the Indian television directors, seem to be obsessed with all things Gujarati. We present before you a list of all those shows which have provided us fodder through the years, and have helped build certain stereotypical notions about the Gujarati community:
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: How Thakur Ji became a part of our system:
The concept of "Thakur ji" became renowned with the advent of the longest running show on the Indian television, 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.' The Viranis were prone to such disasters in their lives that the mention of " Thakur Ji" once in an episode had become almost necessary. Every time some character underwent a fatal accident or Tulsi's 544637th husband decided to reincarnate, we all knew what was coming up next! Yes, Baa, her sixth sense and Thakur Ji!
The show made its way into our living rooms and hearts and made Ekta Kapoor a household name. Produced with the back-drop of Mumbai and the concept of an ideal Gujarati joint family the show left an everlasting impact on its viewers.
Jasuben Jayanthilal Joshi Ki Joint Family: The family we loved to love:
As if the infinite Virani family tree wasn't enough, the show 'Jasuben Jayantilal Joshi ki joint family' made our beliefs about a Gujarati household even more firm. Memorable characters like Jasuben, Pinakin, Hetal, Raju along with several others became a part of us. That a Gujarati family is a close knit affair we’ve known for years, but how the Joshi family deals with all its members and their issues in the most amiable way is something we got to learn through this show.
With another show potraying the dynamics of a Gujarati family, 'Ba bahoo aur Baby' too managed to remain with us.
Khichdi: Sarees and random rounds of garba? Yes please!
Don’t all of us remember the impromptu rounds of garba that Jayashree and Hansa broke into every now and then? A show that completely transformed the idea of humour on Indian television, 'Khichdi' made the Gujarati culture a favorite amongst us.'Khichdi' made us believe that the "seedha palla' sarees worn by Hansa and Jayashree is the signature attire of Gujaratis around the globe. Also, that Hansa went to bed with all that jewellery, was something that raises doubts in our minds even today. Not a lot of television characters manage to stay with us ,but the evergreen Prafull, Hansa, Jayashree and Babujii have the capacity to crack us up even now. The ever so decked up Hansa and the more often than not gossip hungry Jayashree crept into our everyday lives and provided us with a much needed dose of humour.
Krishnaben Khakrawala: Because Gujarati food is more than just dhoklas:
Krishnaben Khakrawala, an Indian television series that premiered on Sony TV made us peep into the World of Krishnaben and all the lip smacking Gujarati snacks she had in store for us. For years our thoughts about Gujarati food have been limited to Dhoklas alone, this show however broadened our knowledge about the delightful cuisine of Gujarat. The protagonist of the show, Krishnaben is a single mother who raises her children single handedly by selling Khakras.
Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma: Because we all need a Jethalal in our lives:
One of the most watched sitcoms on the Indian television, Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, made us see, how Gujaratis find humour in their day to day lives. The show is based on the column "Duniya Ne Oondha Chashmah" written by columnist and journalist Taarak Mehta for the Gujarati weekly magazine 'Chitralekha.'The occasional life lessons imbibed in us by Daya Ben, Jethalal and Taarak Mehta just made us wonder “ Hey Ma maataji, when did these members of the Gokuldham society become a part of of our everyday life?”
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