With its wide range of entertainment programmes and shows in the late 1980s and 1990s, Doordarshan (DD) became a staple in every Indian household. There was no cable TV or over-the-top (OTT) back then, so DD was the only channel that offered family-friendly programming. Serials like Hum Log, Buniyaad, and Nukkad brought the lives of ordinary people and middle-class families to life on television, as well as the dynamics of their relationships and day-to-day struggles. Doordarshan’s characters made a billion people laugh and cry.
Indian viewers have almost never been served the sweet taste of realism in a show about the life of a middle-class family since the golden years of Doordarshan in the 1980s and 1990s… Until 2015, when The Viral Fever (TVF), India’s first and original OTT content kings, pioneered Indian Web-Series with Permanent Roommates, Pitchers, and their most recent Gullak-3. TVF, which was founded by Arunabh Kumar in 2012, is one of India’s most popular and critically acclaimed content shop brands. This year, TVF celebrates a decade of content creation by providing the country with some spectacular shows, including at least seven original shows that have been ranked among the top 250 shows in the world.
Gullak, a TVF series, has the rare distinction of having run two successful seasons, receiving love and awards from fans and critics alike, and then launching an equally rewarding season 3 with much fanfare on SonyLiv, one of India’s largest OTT platforms. “Ye kahani nahi, kisse hain,” says the gentle, affable narrator of Gullak, Shivankit Singh Parihar, “it is the story of a middle-class family and er… it is actually not a “story” but tiny anecdotes from the Mishra household.”
“In Season 3, we did an experiment with the third episode, which is a story that is very close to me and something that I’ve seen personally,” says Gullak creator Shreyansh Pandey. The episode is known as ‘Agua,’ and it is very popular in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, but it is also a universal phenomenon. People are raving about the episode and are tweeting about it in droves. This is as local as we can get with our stories while still appealing to a broad audience.”
“Gullak is the story of every person who comes from a small town and a middle-class family,” says Palash Vaswani, the show’s director, of the show’s spirit. We all have stories to tell about our lives that we want to share with the rest of the world. As a director, I see Gullak as a fertile ground for telling simple, relatable anecdotes through complex layers. The process of bringing this world to life on screen has been a joy. I’m grateful to Arunabh, our producer, for asking me to direct season 2 and, hopefully, season 3.”
“In everyday life, we wanted to highlight anecdotes from a middle-class family that transform into a kahaani (story).” The TVF is a writer-friendly environment. Your stories will be heard and cared for.
Gullak has struck a chord with the real India, the India that is rarely seen on big screens; the India that lives in small towns with even smaller salaries; the India that has daily arguments over who gets the TV remote; the India that also stands by its family and dreams big.
So, what can fans expect from Gullak season 3? This time around, what oddities and shenanigans are the Mishras putting us through?
“The second season was a huge success. Our goal was to keep season 3 from being too similar to the previous season while also inventing new ways to tell new stories or “new kisses.” It’s a logical step forward from where we left off last season.
“If I had to sum up Season 3 in a single word, it would be audacious. In the Mishra Family, we’ve talked about mothers’ younger selves, workplace politics, and changing alpha equations, among other topics,” Durgesh says.
In terms of the Mishra family’s characters, they’re back in season 3 with their struggles to make ends meet and their unique quirks that make them so believable. “I have lived a life that was well provided for as a kid until I was studying,” Jameel Khan said of his inspiration and preparation for playing Santosh Mishra, the bread-winning, husband and father, award-winning actor. It was after I stopped taking money from my parents and decided to fend for myself that I realised how important every penny was and how difficult it was to live in the middle class, how to make do with very little money, and so on. My father’s business was in shambles, and my younger sisters had yet to finish their studies.
Geetanjali Kulkarni, who plays Shanti Mishra, says of working with TVF and Gullak, “Working with TVF and Gullak is creatively very satisfying.” The team, led by Arunabh Kumar, believes in true collaboration and values everyone’s input, which makes the rehearsal and shooting process enjoyable for the artist.”
Sunita Rajwar, who plays Bittu ki Mummy, says of her inspiration, “I instantly connected with Bittu ki Mummy.” I grew up in a small town, and I remember seeing a lot of aunts who looked a lot like her. And there was this one lady who was known in the neighbourhood as ‘Hema Malini.’ Kamla aunty was how we used to refer to her. People took advantage of her because she was cute and innocent at the same time.
Gullak Season 3 is without a doubt a flawless work of art and a rare phenomenon in India, where most mainstream web-series fail to hold the viewer’s attention for more than two seasons due to a lack of ability to hold the viewer’s attention for years.
“We decided to bring back Season 3 within a year so that it becomes a regular viewing experience for Indian families.” And now we’re here; it’s a strange sensation; I’ve been up all night reading messages and tweets from across the country. “People are crazy about it,” Shreyansh says.
With its groundbreaking stories, TVF has sparked a creative revolution in India, redefining not only what is consumed but also how the backend of the loop operates. Writers thrive, ADs become successful directors, and TVF creators are bursting at the seams with ideas.
“Only because Arunabh promotes a culture of telling simple stories can a show like Gullak exist. Jameel, Geetanjali, Vaibhav, Harsh, Sunita, and Saad give outstanding performances, and it’s truly magical to watch them bring the characters to life season after season. “I am confident that when Palash directs a show, he will completely elevate the script,” Shreyansh says.
“Shreyansh and I have collaborated on a number of projects. We have a pleasant chemistry. “The stories that Shreyansh brings to the world of Gullak as a creator provide me with rich ground to bring them to life as the director,” Palash says.
