#Review: The Massive Void of Having a 'Sitcom-Like' show has Ended with 'Mind the Malhotras'

If there was one thing that was missing from the Indian web scene after all these years of internet revolution then that was a simple, feel-good sitcom that marries the Indian flavor and still delivers some great laughs. Cut to we have now been presented with Amazon's latest original from India in the form of Mind The Malhotras. Starring Cyrus Sahukar and Mini Mathur in lead roles, the episodes just released on Prime Video and after watching a couple of them, here's what I think-

What Is It About?

Based on an Israeli comedy La Famiglia, Mind The Malhotras has Rishabh (Cyrus) and Shefali (Mini), an adorable married couple who are rather tensed in their life for one prime reason. As yet another married couple in their friend circle is headed for divorce, Rish and Shef are worried that their marriage may be the next one to end. And hence, they decide to seek help from a therapist, who obviously goes deep in to know about the most embarrassing, bizarre and yet hilarious moments in their life. From the quality of their sex life and it's lost charm to their kid troubles and one obviously annoying mother-in-law, the family and its dysfunctional nature is what makes for several situations.

The Good

The Laughs

It wouldn't be worth it if a sitcom doesn't deliver laughs, right? That is one area that the show undoubtedly succeeds at. The situations, jokes and even digs are genuinely funny and some of them may even have you chuckling at times. The credit for this has to be given to the writers and also to the actors performing it. It makes for the perfect feel-good experience that you may need after a long day at work.

The Male Lead

Cyrus Sahukar as Rishabh Malhotra is at home when it comes to comedy. The actor is effortlessly funny and instead of being loud and slapstick-y, he delivers a fantastic performance as Risabh and makes you laugh in the most subtle ways pretty much all the time.

The Mother

If you have a Punjabi family as the leads, it is almost a rule to have an annoying, stereotypical, bad-English speaking Punjabi mother right? As infuriated I felt about the usually expected categorization of the character, it was actress Sushmita Mukherjee's portrayal of the same that makes it watchable. In a character we have seen so often, she still manages to breathe life and freshness to it making it a good addition.

The Runtime

What is another thing about comedies that you like? The fact that it offers you not more than 21-24 minutes on one stretch thus giving you a good break. That is also what is done here and that is indeed a great idea. With 20 odd minutes, the comedy delivers well and the moment you feel you may get bored, the episode is nearing its end.

The Not-So-Good

The Female Lead

Not taking away from her overall portrayal, Mini Mathur doesn't entirely impress as Shefali. The character has some fabulous lines and even great notes to perform but unfortunately Mini isn't able to deliver them well. One of the reasons for that is the fact that Mini isn't predominantly an actress. However, it isn't entirely unpleasing as she does deliver flashes of good timing and decent acting chops.

The Entangled Situations

One horror that this show couldn't do away with is the mistake of just delivering the laughs with no crux. In spite of having a good base plot, the series has situations randomly put together which even though funny, appears too jumbles and after a point, monotonous. The overarching theme loses its importance sooner than anticipated.

The Verdict

In spite of a few hunches, Mind the Malhotras is indeed a great addition to the Indian web scene and what makes it stand-out truly is its novelty. Need a boost in your mood? Had a bad day and need to cheer up? Or literally, have no good show airing on TV and wondering what to watch? Mind the Malhotras is the answer for you.

Rating - ***1/2 (3.5/5)