CAST: Ratna Pathak Shah, Atul Kulkarni, Raj Babbar and Ayesha Jhulka
DIRECTOR: Jamnadas Majethia and Aatish Kapadia.
Streams on Prime Video
Think Sarabhai v Sarabhai and this will give you the same vibes.
One of the most exemplary shows made in India that delivered good family-driven clean content. There were no double-meaning jokes, no slang trying to sound cool or gags that felt unnecessary.
Happy Family: Conditions Apply, as the name suggests, revolves around the Dholakia family and their dysfunctional relationship with each other. The makers Aatish Kapadia and JD are in familiar territory so the backdrop of a Gujarati family is the perfect setting for the series. What makes the episodes so vibrant and fun is the choice of actors. Raj Babbar and Ratna Pathak Shah play the family heads while Atul Kulkarni and Ayesha Jhulka, their son and daughter-in-law. The introduction to the family tree that has multiple branches is interesting. At a time when families are going from joint to nuclear, this premise is heartwarming.
Every episode peels layers of emotions from these characters. The concern for the younger generation and the principles of the older dada – dadi makes a setting for a clash of ideologies that anyone can relate to. Performances are nuanced. While Ratna Pathak Shah steals every scene she is in, Ayesha Jhulka as her daughter-in-law is refreshing.
It proves that given a well-written role, any actor with a hunger for his/her craft will go for the kill. Her comic timing with her husband, played by Atul Kulkarni, is just fantastic. There are several chuckles and laughs in the episodes. Meenal Sahu and Sanah Kapur, who play the youngest of the Dholakia clan, are not annoyingly bubbly or over the top.
Keeping the scenes as real and relatable as possible, you get drawn into the lives of these characters. Their fights, worries, wins and defeats suddenly seem to be all yours.
