first take ba bahu aur baby

As the title seems to imply, the show is about a matriarch who has woven the matrix of her family single handedly. Despite ruling over her empire with an iron hand, Ba has a heart of gold. Sarita Joshi, who plays Ba looks stern yet managing to exude a warmth that comes with the confidence of being a seasoned actress. It helps that among the cast she has with her fellow theatre hands who both respect and admire her. Her screen presence is awesome and that the other actors on the show are in awe of her is obvious even onscreen -- and this perhaps augurs well for the show that needs her to hold her own throughout.

What is most amazing about the show is the importance given to details. Imagine a family

sitting down for their breakfast and having a serious discussion over monetary issues, while Gattu, the mentally challenged child-adult played brilliantly by Deven Bhojani, incessantly crying out that he needs another dosa! His is a world far away from the travails of the adults and that air of 'I don't care what you all are up to' has been extremely well brought out by writer, Aatish Kapadia.

It is the brilliance of the script that has brought out such well etched characters that one can immediately identify with them. Be it the slow, dim-wit bahu, the bahu who is obsessed with her looks or the children of the household, all of them seem to be cut out from our own lives.

There are actors, whom we would expect to throw a funny line every time they open their mouths, mouthing dialogues that have the opposite effect ---quiet a task, given the stereotyping that is so rampant in the industry today. Rajeev Mehta (Praful of Instant Khichadi) is a case in point. He plays the angry, brooding eldest son, who hates his father and moves around the house with an angry disposition -- quiet unlike Praful whom we have come to love.
One other thing that makes B3 watchable is the humanness of the characters. While they are obviously 'bigger' than life they are not by any means 'larger'. No heavy makeup and jewelry, no sarees that dazzle your eyes and above everything else, no melodrama. There is a scene in the first episode that will bring tears to your eyes -- but it has been executed with such subtlety that you will hold the tears and deny them a free fall!

There are surprise packages in the show. Benaf, as Baby looks promising and so does Rajesh Kumar as Subodh, one of the brothers. But Deven's performance is a show stealer…he is just too good. Credit must also go to all these actors who seem to have gelled very well. Hats off to JD and Aatish for coming up with such brilliant casting.
But again these are early days. Placed strategically by Star behind KBC2, B3 should have a good opening, but it has to hold its own in due time, otherwise there is always the threat of the remote control…or it could end up being the much needed dinner break after the power packed performance of Big B.