Sumit Sambhal Lega TV review

Sumit Sambhal Lega TV review: Namit Das' Sumit not as funny as the original Raymond, but still a decent watch!

Finally a comic serial on primetime television, but is it worth the wait?

Star Plus has a new show to offer you, and it's not a saas-bahu saga! Sumit Sambhal Lega is an official adaptation of the Ray Romano sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and has been making a lot of news since it was announced. Let's see if it manages to justify the idea of remaking the classic original show.

What's it about:

Sumit Walia (Namit Das) is a carefree husband to Maya (Mansi Parekh), who jokes about every issue that his wife raises. Though they are well-to-do, problems still plague the happiness of the family, but not the kinds that you need to shed tears upon. Apart from the problems that any normal upper middle-class household faces like who would take care of the kids, who's going to take care of of the cleaning, Sumit also has to try and keep pesky parents (played with aplomb by Bharti Achrekar and Satish Kaushik) happy and avoid conflicts. The first episode introduces us to his family, while giving us his first dilemma on how to celebrate his wife's birthday without inviting his parents!

What's hot:

For starters, Sumit Sambhal Lega is a refreshing change from all those shows about illicit affairs, scheming mothers-in-law, over-the-top theatrics! And I am quite grateful for the makers for giving the men a show to watch other than listening to Arnab Goswami rant! The source material (Everybody Loves Raymond) is quite strong, and the remake show boasts of a strong cast involving Namit Das, Mansi Parekh, Bharti Achrekar and Satish Kaushik. Satish Kaushik is truly hilarious as the obese father of the hero, and most of his jokes work. Namit Das has a likeable presence as the protagonist, and we can relate to him. Even the fake sets are a welcome change compared to those opulent houses we see in Ekta Kapoor soaps.

What's not:

Unfortunately, for a comedy serial, there should be enough jokes to keep that smile pasted on your face, and SSL doesn't get high marks on that aspect! Many of the intended jokes aren't that funny, and that irritating laughter track does little to help matters. Guys, we live in the 2nd decade of the 21st century; we really don't need a laughter track to identify a joke! Modern Family is the best example of a show that provides great laughter gags without the need of a stupid laughter track! Also there will be inevitable comparisons to Star's previous showSarabhai vs Sarabhai, a classic that is difficult to surpass.

Our verdict:

Sumit Sambhal Lega is nowhere in the league of desi sitcoms like Dekh Bhai Dekh, Khichdi, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, forget the originalRaymond. But with a really strong acting talent in hand, and a great source material, we really hope that show would work on its deficiencies and improve in the coming episodes. A decent watch, nonetheless!

Rating:3.0 out of 5

Reviewed by Sreeju Sudhakaran

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