Home Shanti
RATING
Introduction
With the advent of series like Gullak and other such TVF shows, it has opened a market of shows having content which is relatable and appealing to a normal middle class household. The smaller everyday problems which we all face are kind of similar yet at the end of the day we realise that it is our family that sticks together through the thick and thin of it. And with that I finished watching the new Hindi series Home Shaanti on Hotstar. This is probably the third such show this year after Gullak and Sutliyan which has family as the central theme of it. And to be honest such shows are a breath of fresh air considering the fact that they cater to a light watch without any stress. That said, does Home Shanti manage to impress like Gullak and Sutliyan, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Home Shaanti follows the story of Joshi family as they plan on making a house and the obstacles which they face. The story is sweet and relatable and it will put a smile on your face. The series is a little close to Gullak except that Gullak was divided into incidents while this has an underlying story across the 6 episodes. The screenplay though opens on a wobbly note. The proceedings seem a little forced and you get a sense that emotions are being manipulated. But things keep getting better with each episode. While the second episode too isn’t perfect, things begin to get relatable and ‘sweeter’ from the third episode. Almost every episode post that tugs the strings of your heart deftly. And you would often find yourself smiling at the drama unfolding. The humour too which seemed flat at the very beginning began spurring in some gems which did tickle my funny bone. The meta references were just amazing. The smaller joys in life are so well depicted here that it almost guarantees youna smile throughout. The several heartwarming moments culminate on a brightly emotional note which is truly an icing on the top of what is a nicely written screenplay.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sugar coated and quite relatable. The BGM works well in most places. I felt the editing was a little choppy to begin with but soon it irons out its flaws. Director Aakanksha Dua does a fabulous job in telling a sweet tale with an even sweeter approach. The fact that she could make it relatable was one of the reasons why this drama has worked in totally despite a wobbly start.
Performances
The performances are incredibly good. There are charming cameos from the previous synonyms of TVF. Nidhi Bisht, Biswapati Sarkar and Sameer Saxena all are incredibly good and it was so good to see them onscreen after a long interval. Their presence will surely put a smile on your face. Neha Tomar as Akshara has her moments to shine. Happy Ranajit as Pappu the contractor has an impeccable sense of comic and he will definitely tickle your funny bone more often than not. Poojan Chhabra as Naman is first rate and his goofiness(in his character) was definitely a plus here. Chakori Dwivedi as Jigyasa is such a natural onscreen and her great screen presence makes me want to watch her in her future works too. The two veterans Manoj Pahwa and Supriya Pathak Kapoor are the cutest. They carry their roles with such subtly yet with a sense of purpose that it is hard not to like them. They will make you laugh yet moisten your eyes in some of the quieter moments. Their performance was like a long warm hug which lasts even after the show is over.
Conclusion
Home Shaanti is a sweet little show which celebrates the togetherness of a middle class family. Available on Hotstar.