Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! (transl.Is the Sister-in-Law at Home?), sometimes abbreviated as BGPH, is an Indian Hindi-languagesitcom that premiered on 2 March 2015 on &TV and is digitally available on ZEE5.[2] The series is produced under the banner of Edit II Productions.
This comedy show revolves around two neighboring couples, the Mishras and the Tiwaris, where the husbands are attracted to each other's wives and use various, ultimately unsuccessful, yet hilarious techniques to impress them.[3]
Since its inception, the show has garnered widespread acclaim from both critics and viewers alike. Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! is inspired by the 1990s Hindi sitcom Shrimaan Shrimati.[4] A spin-off sitcom, Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, featuring the show's character Happu Singh, was also released in 2019.
Plot
The show is set in the fictional "Modern Colony" in Kanpur and revolves around two neighboring couples. The husbands, Vibhutinarayan Mishra and Manmohan Tiwari, have been married for seven years and are bored with their marriages while being smitten with each other's wives, unbeknownst to one another. Manmohan Tiwari is a successful undergarment businessman. Often referred to as "Kaccha Baniyaan" (a slang term for selling undergarments), he spends most of his time selling undergarments. In contrast, his wife, Angoori Tiwari, is a simple and naive housewife. Their neighbor, Vibhuti Narayan Mishra, was once an unsuccessful insurance agent and is now unemployed. Often referred to as "Nalla" (a slang term for being unemployed), he spends most of his time doing household chores. In contrast, his wife, Anita Mishra, is a headstrong, smart, modern woman who runs grooming classes. She is the breadwinner of the family and despises her husband's unemployment and laziness.
Their houses are located across the street from each other, with the Tiwaris residing in House No. 6 and the Mishras in House No. 9. The Tiwaris own their house, while the Mishras live in a rental property that belonged to Anita's uncle. Most of the plot unfolds in their respective homes, and the characters often visit a nearby tea stall, 'Gupta Tea Center,' where they discuss their lives and general affairs. As both men devise schemes to impress each other's wives—Angoori and Anita—they end up undermining each other and creating more problems for everyone involved.
Cast
Main
Aasif Sheikh as Vibhuti "Vibhu" Narayan Mishra, an unsuccessful insurance agent, Anita's husband, David's nephew, and Helen's son. Often called "Nalla" for being unemployed, he has fallen for the simple-minded Angoori Tiwari, Manmohan’s wife. He is known to be highly educated but refuses to take a regular job due to his ego and laziness. His plans to woo Angoori usually fail due to her naivety, putting him in dire situations. He despises Manmohan Tiwari, believing that Tiwari doesn't deserve a wife like Angoori. Vibhuti has tried numerous times to ruin Tiwari's reputation in front of Angoori, but these attempts have led to negative results. Although he claims to be the "Chhapra University Topper," his Uncle David Mishra revealed that he bought the degree for him during his college years.
Rohitash Gaud as Manmohan Tiwari, an unsuccessful undergarments businessman. Often called ‘Kaccha-Baniyaan’ for selling undergarments. He is attracted to the modern and elegant Anita Mishra, Vibhuti's wife. He is Ramkali's elder son, Laddu's elder brother, and Angoori's husband. Throughout the series, it is frequently hinted, though never confirmed, that Manmohan may not be Ramkali's biological son from her husband Jummanlal Tiwari but rather from Pandit Ramphal, a priest from whom Ramkali regularly seeks remedies and spiritual advice.
Shilpa Shinde as Angoori Tiwari (2015–2016) – Shinde left the series after a dispute with the series' producer, Binaifer Kohli and former channel head Vikas Gupta.[5]
Shubhangi Atre (2016–present) as Angoori Tiwari, a traditional Indian housewife who wears a lehenga-style saree, sindoor and mangalasutra and speaks with a Bhojpuri accent.[6] She is gullible, kind-hearted, and innocent, regarded as one of the most kindhearted women in her neighbourhood. She is Manmohan's wife, Bhoorey Lal's daughter, and Puttan's elder sister. Angoori performs various superstitious rituals, often suggested by her loving mother-in-law, Ramkali, leading to humorous outcomes.[7] She occasionally mispronounces English words, prompting others to correct her in certain situations.
Saumya Tandon as Anita "Annu" Mishra (2015–2020) On 21 August 2020, Tandon revealed via her social media accounts that she has opted to not renew her contract and has quit the show.[8][9]
Neha Pendse (2021–2022), Pendse replaced Tandon in February 2021.[10] Pendse quit the show a year later, in February 2022.[11]
Vidisha Srivastava[11] (2022–present) as Anita "Annu" Mishra, Vibhuti's wife, a modern, elegant woman who leads grooming classes in Kanpur. She holds a black belt in Karate, which she uses for self-defense. To fulfill her romantic fantasies, she frequently persuades Vibhuti to adopt various characters, such as a thief, robber, college stud, painter, dacoit, electrician, and cop, often leaving him frustrated. She shares a good friendship with Angoori.
Recurring
Saanand Verma as Anokhelal Saxena, commonly known as Saxena Ji. He is eccentric and mentally unstable. He often electrocutes himself and consumes bizarre or unhealthy items like lizard soup and cockroach tea, followed by his trademark exclamation, "I like it!". Saxena is depicted with various occupations, including lawyer, artist, actor, writer, and singer.
Yogesh Tripathi as Daroga Happu Singh, a corrupt police inspector who has a secret crush on Anita and Gulfam Kali, whom he affectionately calls 'Gori Mem' (meaning "Fair Ma'am"). He frequently demands bribes and occasionally thrashes Tillu, Tika, and Malkhan for their mischief.
Jeetu Gupta as Dr. Gupta, a doctor who is often referred to as a "sage" because he frequently resorts to black magic to treat his patients, as his medical prescriptions almost never work.
Syed Salim Zaidi as Tillu, Tiwari's shop employee who constantly schemes against him to obtain his unpaid salary. To extort his wages, he has robbed Tiwari's house, made threatening calls, and even kidnapped Tiwari's younger brother, but he always fails in his attempts.
Soma Rathod as Ramkali Tiwari (Ammaji), Jummanlal's wife, Manmohan and Ladoos's mother who loves her daughter-in law, Angoori. Ramkali is a devoted follower of the renowned astrologer and priest, Pundit Ramphal, who suggests various rituals that she makes Angoori perform to attain health and wealth. The nature of Ramkali's relationship with Pundit Ramphal insinuates that he may be Manmohan Tiwari's biological father.
Vaibhav Mathur as Tika Ram, an unemployed dimwit who often accompanies his friends Tillu and Malkhan. The trio lives together in a rented place. Tika frequently flirts with girls alongside Malkhan. At times, he is depicted as a diploma holder, while at other times he is shown as illiterate. One of Tika's amusing quirks is his miscommunication; he often says, "I can't toilet," when he actually means, "I can't tolerate.
Deepesh Bhan as Malkhan Singh. He and his two friends engage in money-making schemes involving chit funds, kidnapping, selling stolen items, and drinking alcohol, but they are frequently caught and jailed. Malkhan often flirts with girls alongside Tika and Tillu. Bhan passed away on July 23, 2022.[12] (2015–2022)
Vishwajeet Soni as Prem Chaudhary, Vibhuti's best friend who is a rich, foul-mouthed cunning show-off and an impersonator of Indian film actor Prem Chopra. He often gambles and smuggles.
Akshay Patil as Pelu Chaurasia, the colony's mute rickshaw puller. He communicates by pulling out message slips out of his muffler tied around his head and smiles. He is known for his intelligence. He carries a portable radio, providing songs appropriate to often hilarious situations.He also has played various roles in this show. In the plane hijacking episode, it was revealed that he was a pilot for six years.
Anup Upadhyay as David Mishra: Vibhuti's UK-based dubiously rich uncle who visits him in awkward situations. Whenever he visits Vibhuti, he brings papers to his ₹20 crore property, so he can name Vibhuti his heir. But, due to one reason or another, he and sometimes others, too, shred the papers, but this has been phased out in later episodes.[13]
Sandeep Yadav as Sabzi Wala (2015–2017)
Kishore Bhanushali as Resham Pal Singh, the no-nonsense Commissioner of Kanpur Police Department. He is honest and dislikes Happu Singh's corrupt antics. Actor Kishore Bhanushali has been a lifelong impersonator of the late Indian film actor Dev Anand and he brings his characteristics to this role. He has also appeared as another character 'Sharma Uncle' in a one-hour horror special episode previously before taking on this character later.
Rakesh Bedi as Bhoorey Lal, Angoori's alcoholic but loving father. He hates Tiwari for marrying her by lying about his business profession.
Vijay Kumar Singh as Master Bhoop Singh. He is a Masterji (teacher) in Ladoo's school. Bhoop Singh is a believer of strict Indian moral values or "Sanskar" as he calls them. In the show, he is the caricature of old-fashioned teachers from rural India. He wears khadi jacket, carries an Indian-style side-bag called "Jhola" and always has a long and thin bamboo stick called "Santi" to beat those who misbehave. When he witnesses improper behaviour in public, he recites his catchphrase, Sanskar naam ka cheez hai ki nahi? lit. (Do you have any moral values or not?).
Falguni Rajani as Gulfam Kali, (2015–2019) an infamous tawaif (courtesan) of Kanpur. She knows the male characters' secrets and uses these to manipulate them. Rajani quit the show in September 2020.[14]
Khushboo Kamal as Badami, Gulfam Kali's younger sister(2018–2019)/Pammi Leoni (2015)[15] various characters (2015–present)
Shekhar Shukla as Panditji: A disciple of pundit Ramphal (2015)
Saurabh Kaushik replaced Shukla in the role (2016–2018)
Hardik Gohil as Laddoo Tiwari, who is the younger brother of Manmohan Tiwari and Ramkali's younger son. He has a subtle-telepathic ability and perceives others' thoughts.(2015–2019)
Feroz as Chhedi, a flirting Dhobi (washerman) of the locality (2015–2021)
Rajeev Mehra as various characters including a Minister of Uttar Pradesh and also as Makkhmal Makwana, the new police commissioner who had temporarily replaced Resham Pal Singh but was demoted for corruption.
Nitin Jadhav as Manohar the constable.(2019–present)
Manoj Santoshi (writer of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!) has appeared as various characters.
Sandeep Anand as Puttan: Angoori's brother who is a thief
Manju Brijnandan Sharma (2015–2016) as Helen Ahuti Narayan Mishra, Vibhuti's mother
Liliput as Maamulal Chaurasiya, Vibhuti's Mamaji (mother's brother) who suffers from haemorrhoids and is led to believe that Vibhuti is a doctor. (2017)
Navin Prabhakar as the mentally unstable Kavi (poet) Pramod Pralay Jhangirabadi who has been in love with Anita since college days. He again appeared briefly as a short-tempered musician Jaleel Chaudhary.[18]
Pranay Dixit as various characters
Rajiv Kumar Tiwari as Pundit Ramphal (2019-present)
Charul Malik as Misti Mukherjee (2018) / Rusa (2021–2024): The commissioner's sister-in-law.She reprises her role from Happu Ki Ultan Paltan!
Sumit Arora as various characters (2021–present)
Guests
Several celebrities and actors have appeared on the show as guest stars, either to promote their films or for special appearances.
After the launch of &pictures in November 2014, ZEE network launched its second channel under the "&" network brand, "&tv", to be launched in March 2015.[21] The channel's original content line-up was announced in early 2015 with "Bhabiji..." included, announced as a light-hearted comedy sitcom. All promos were featured on ZEE. The channel intended to place "Bhabiji..." in a late-night slot as a comedy show for adults.[22]
Casting
Before the show went into production, Rashmi Desai was chosen to play the character of 'Angoori'. But Desai rejected the role because of age differences between her and co-actor Rohitash Gaud and the role went to Shilpa Shinde.[23] Actor Aasif Sheikh revealed that before production started, he suggested the makers cast Shilpa Shinde, when he heard about the character of 'Angoori' for the first time.[24]
After one year in April 2016,[25] approximately 80 actresses auditioned for the role of Angoori and Shubhangi Atre was selected after the unexpected exit of Shinde from the series.[26]
In October 2016,[30] film actress Sunny Leone came in for a sequence shoot on the set of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai!. While on set, she refused to say Angoori's catchphrase "Sahi Pakde Hain" ("You got it right!") as she thought it has a vulgar meaning. It took approximately one hour for the makers to convince her that Angoori says this line in literal context and that it has no vulgar meaning and the shoot was resumed.[31]
In March 2018, the show's entire cast and crew went to Goa, a beach holiday destination, to celebrate the show's third anniversary and shot an entire story sequence named 'Kanpur To Goa'.[32]
Music
The "BhabiJi Rap Song" was sung, composed and written by Anmol Malik and Raftaar. The soundtrack for the serial was released on 25 February 2017 by Zee Music Company.[33]
Themes
The show primarily follows an episodic structure, where continuity between episodes is minimal. The show features self-contained story arcs that begin and conclude within a few episodes, each arc with its own title. This format allows for individual storylines to wrap up independently, with a new arc beginning in the following episodes. In earlier episodes, minor elements such as character names, locations, or specific details often varied between arcs. Over time, however, the series introduced a degree of continuity, with certain recurring themes, settings, and character traits remaining consistent across episodes.
The show explores a variety of comedic themes, blending satire, slapstick, and social commentary to create a unique and humorous narrative. At its core, the show revolves around two neighboring couples: Vibhuti and Anita Mishra, and Manmohan and Angoori Tiwari. A central theme is the humorous attempts by Vibhuti and Manmohan to impress each other's wives—Vibhuti's infatuation with the innocent and traditional Angoori, and Manmohan's admiration for the sophisticated and modern Anita. These antics often spiral into absurd situations, creating a comical dynamic that forms the backbone of the series.
The show also highlights Vibhuti's chronic unemployment. His frequent, often comically failed attempts at various jobs to impress Angoori lead to numerous misadventures. His schemes to win her over often result in unintended consequences, showcasing his character's mix of cleverness and incompetence.
Angoori's character brings in elements of superstitions and traditional remedies, which often lead to chaotic, humorous outcomes. Her naïveté and strong belief in superstitions provide a satirical take on rural beliefs, as her practices frequently backfire in unexpected ways.
Supernatural comedy is another recurring theme, with episodes that feature ghosts, spirits, and superstitious events adding a layer of fantastical humour. The show occasionally explores themes of jealousy, social status, and everyday struggles in middle-class life, but in a lighthearted, exaggerated manner.
The show is also known for its subtle use of adult humour, with dialogues and scenarios containing innuendos and double meanings. These jokes are cleverly crafted to be subtle, allowing the humour to stay light and accessible while adding a layer of wit that may not be immediately obvious.
Throughout, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai! presents a satire of marriage, relationships, and societal norms, using each character's quirks to explore issues like aspiration, deception, innocence, and desire, all under a humorous lens. This blend of themes has helped the show resonate with a wide audience, balancing light-hearted fun with subtle social commentary.
The show, while having a more adult premise than most other Indian TV shows, tried to defy the gender expectations of a female character on the show, according to the female lead Saumya Tandon. While explaining the norms of Indian television industry, she said:
I play 'Gori Mem' Anita Bhabhi's character. I feel she one-of-a-kind Bhabhi on Indian TV. When all the heroines of Indian TV are poor innocent women crying for help all the time, battered by husbands and in-laws, Anita is wacky, bold, romantic, strong and independent. She breaks all norms of a stereotypical Bhabhi or a TV heroine. In such a male-dominated society if she has managed to steal peoples hearts, that shows our society is not all that regressive. She has shown the world that heroines can get TRPs even laughing and not just by crying.[34]
In August 2018, Shubhangi Atre said audiences want a wife like her character Angoori.[35]
Specials
In November 2016, the show was extended by one more day, named "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai Shanivaar Special" in which celebrities visit the sets.[36] Nine Shanivaar Special episodes were aired on Saturdays, with celebrity guest stars appearing as part of a plot woven around them and were subsequently interviewed by the main cast. A 'Sunday Horror Special' was aired in June 2016.
In 2017, it was reported the show will be adapted for British and Anglo-Spanish audiences, produced by ZEE Studios under the title Love Thy Neighbor.[37] A spin-off titled Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, based upon the character of Daroga Happu Singh, had been green-lighted by And TV in late 2018. The spin-off revolves around Happu's domestic life not seen in "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!". The show premiered on 4 March 2019.[38]
Reception
Critical reception
Since the show's inception in 2015, it has garnered positive reviews and acclaim from the critics and viewers alike.[39] In 2015, TVR ratings confirmed that Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai! had higher viewership than the popular reality show Bigg Boss, which had the same time-slot and was hosted by actor Salman Khan.[40]Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai! is one of the most-watched sitcoms in Pakistan.[41]
In a 2016 interview, the show's director Shashank Bali acknowledged that when Shilpa Shinde left the show and Shubhangi Atre was roped in for the role of 'Angoori', the show's ratings declined. He said, "Viewers were so involved with the original cast. When Shilpa got replaced, the connection broke with the viewers; hence we dropped in numbers. Now we have again recovered the original rating".[42]
In 2017, the show's publicity was questioned when co-actress, Shilpa Shinde participated in Bigg Boss. In an interview, a reporter asked actor Aasif Sheikh whether Shilpa Shinde's participation in Bigg Boss 11 publicised the show, to which Aasif Sheikh replied, "Our show is doing good, which is what matters. Publicity is publicity whether it is good or bad".[43]
According to DNA, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai! is a top-ranking sitcom on local primetime television.[44] In 2018, union minister Kiren Rijiju in his tweet, stated he and his wife are enthusiastic followers of Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai!
Catchphrases used by the characters, particularly Angoori's "Sahi Pakde Hain", Vibhuti's "I am sa-a-ah-ree (a humorously exaggerated take on "sorry")...I'm really, really sah-ree", that of Saxena Ji's "I like it", Happu Singh's "Arre Dada" and Masterji's "Sanskar naam ka cheez hai ki nahi" have become popular outside the show.[45][46][47]
Aasif Sheikh who plays the role of Vibhuti Narayan Mishra in the show has been acknowledged by World Book of Records London for Performing More than 300 Different Characters in a single running Television show on 19 October 2021.[48][49]
In a 2023 interview, actor Aasif Sheikh also revealed that when Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hain debuted, nobody was confident about it and thought it would not run beyond six months. He said, “We had never imagined that Bhabi Ji would run for 8 years and would complete 2000 episodes.[50]
In March 2016, actress Shilpa Shinde unexpectedly left the show.[53] Shinde made several allegations against producers Benaifer Kohli,[54] Sanjay Kohli,[54][55] co-actress Saumya Tandon,[56] and &TV programming head Vikas Gupta.[57] Shinde stated that she was forced to leave the show[58] and was owed ₹32lakh (3.2million rupees).[59][56] Benaifer Kohli responded in September 2016 that Shinde's salary had twice been raised in the past as per her demand.[60]
The matter was taken to Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) and soon after that, Edit II Productions dispatched a legal document to Shinde for her unexplained absence from the production, which continued.[61][62]
Shinde mentioned that the makers favoured Tandon over her, citing lack of personal staff for her.[53][63] Benaifer Kohli denied the discrimination claim and said that she never refused any demand from Shinde regarding her costumes, jewellery or make-up.[64] Tandon stated: "At the beginning of the show when I signed the contract, I had made it clear to the producers that I will manage my own designer and make-up".[65]
On 3 March 2016,[66] Sanjay Kohli announced that the show would replace Shinde, whom he accused of unprofessional behaviour.[66] Shinde stated &TV falsely accused her of unprofessionalism because she refused to sign a new contract with a clause that she not portray a character like Angoori in the future.[67] Binaifer Kohli demanded approximately ₹12crore (120million rupees)[68] from Shinde, citing breach of contract as Shinde was trying to work on another show.[53][69] Shinde said there was no such clause and accused Kohli of contract-tempering.[70]
Shilpa has alleged that Sanjay often tried to take advantage of her and called her hot and sexy. She said that he even touched her inappropriately once to which she objected with a firm no. Sanjay threatened her that he will throw her out of the show if she spoke to anyone about this. Next day, he again came to her make-up room and told her to get into a physical relationship with him if she wanted to stay on the show. She alleged that her make-up man saw this happening, after which he was fired.[73]
Shinde also stated that she talked about the matter to her co-actress Saumya Tandon.[56] Shinde further said that after listening to the matter, Tandon's reply was: "No one rapes in our industry, Shilpa".[56] Shinde stated that Benaifer Kohli tried to bury the matter and threatened her.[54] Tandon responded to Shinde's statement:
It is so sad that she used my name. Saying that she confided in me is not true at all. I shared a very professional relationship with her. [...] I didn't get any such vibes from my producer [Sanjay Kohli] and I never noticed him having such kind of intention for any other female on our sets. In fact, he doesn't really come on the sets and he never goes to any actor's room or vanity at all, so I didn't experience any such thing.[56]
In April 2017, actress Sameeksha Singh, who worked with producers Binaifer Kholi and Sanjay Kholi in their serial Zaara, stated that she was in the same situation when she was working with them. She said Sanjay Kohli used to flirt with her but his actions were unacceptable in Shinde's situation.[74] Television actress Kavita Kaushik who worked with Sanjay Kohli on his show FIR, questioned why Shinde was quiet for one year and accused her of being a bad example for other girls.[75] Shinde replied that she was facing many problems at that time and that it is difficult to publicly address sexual harassment.[75]
In April 2017, Benaifer Kohli and Sanjay Kohli registered a case against Shinde for defamation.[76]
On 13 February 2018,[77][78] Shinde stated the show's makers had approached her and requested her to finish the matter and she had retracted her FIR against Sanjay Kohli.[78][79]
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