mamsaw reviews article

What's it about?A number of shows have played on the stereotypes of Mumbai in the past. This show seems to be no different. Mrs & Mr Sharma Allahabadwale is a celebration of the spirit and journey of a small town, middle-class family that struggles to cope with the day-to-day incidents after they migrate to their city of dreams, Mumbai. Right from being duped by a coolie to a cabbie taking them for a ride and a manipulative estate agent, the sitcom takes you through various facets of Mumbai. However, Mrs and Mr Sharma always have a funny take on the problems faced by them and ultimately manage to overcome it.

Who's in it?Rajesh Kumar, of the Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai fame, leads the cast. He plays the role of the affable Mr Dristhdumn Sarveshwar Prasad Sharma, who has strong values and beliefs. He sticks to them even in adverse situations. Playing his wife Mrs Rashmi Sharma is Divyanka Tripathi, who had almost disappeared from the small screen after her stellar performance in Banoo Main Teri Dulhann. She is a typical housewife who is overwhelmed by the charms of a big city and has blind faith in her husband. Young Swapnil plays the role of their precocious son Dilip aka Lalla while Alka is Mr Sharma's Bollywood-crazy sister Ragini. Vandana Pathak, who has earned accolades for her comic timing in Khichdi and Hum Paanch, portrays the role of a Gujarati housewife Rajshree with four kids. Anang Desai is Mr Sharma's no-nonsense boss.

What's hot?Kumar, a veteran comic actor, has always excelled in roles that are unconventional. He pulls off his role as Mr Sharma from Allahabad very well. The diction is perfect and so is the styling. But the chemistry between his wife and him is the highlight of the show. Most sitcoms lose their plot when it comes to dialogues and delivering them. And this is where the serial scores. Even though cliches mark the serial (for instance, the travails of finding a plumber and electrician or gas company employees going on a strike), at no point do these problems appear redundant or overdone. The editing is crisp.

What's not?Although Tripathi does a remarkable job of getting her expressions and clothes right, she still has a long way to go before she gets her dialogue delivery correct. She is lagging in this respect when compared with Kumar. Only time will tell if these rough edges will be smoothened. Alka has to work harder to be convincing as a star-struck girl. With just two scenes per episode, she doesn't have much scope either. Remembered for her spontaneity in Khichdi, Pathak is yet to find her form.

Should you be watching it?It does tickle your funny bone. It is a rarity these days for comedy shows to hold your attention for too long. As long as this one does, one must watch it.