Yeh Meri Family (Season 4)
Introduction
If ever there was a transition period between the good ol’ days and the digital world then it would be the phase of the 90s. And there is a reason why the 90s era would hold a special place in the hearts of the 90s kids like me. Not only were we slowly getting acquainted with the reality around us, but it was mostly done through our own lenses, as opposed to the current era unfolding through the digital world of social media. Right from the melodious songs that would be played out on cassettes, to being the early experts of the game of cricket, discussing the International matches in detail between breaks. From the patter of rain at night to hoping that the rains would continue through the morning, just enough to be declared a holiday at school, the 90s will go down as one of my favourite eras, in a period that was just before the onset of the social media. So, we would probably be the only generation to be accustomed both the worlds – the older era as well as the pioneers of the digital generation, something that we can easily boast off.
And when it comes to tapping into this nostalgia, it is none better than TVF who have mastered the art of relatability, so much so that I am convinced that they have a magic wand of sorts, only for them to weave their magic every single time. One such show of theirs is Yeh Meri Family that quietly has trickled into its fourth season, specifically focusing on the monsoon of the 90s. I do like how each season of the show is released bang in the middle of season against which the drama unfolds on the show (it is monsoon this time around). And while I did wish that the buzz around the release of the show was a little better, I was still willing to take another short trip down the lane of nostalgia. So then does the fourth season of Yeh Meri Family manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
The fourth season of Yeh Meri Family focuses on the chronicles of the Awasthi family against the backdrop of the monsoon. The story here is definitely heartwarming and relatable like all the previous seasons of the show although I did feel that the effect of monsoons on the story was a little bit like the rains in Mumbai this year, showing promise in July but completely fading out in August. This was just a minor observation regarding the theme of the show and not necessarily a flaw given that the tapering presence of the monsoons didn’t quite have an impact of the show as such. The writing still remained heartfelt as it brought out another amalgamation of incidents almost like long lost chapters from the 90s, over its screenplay standing at 5 episodes of 30 odd minutes each. And the relatability factor is most definitely there.
The drama opens with the reintroduction of the members of the Awasthi family wherein Ritika and Rishi are yet again at loggerheads with each other, of course with an underlying layer of love and respect, just the way it is between siblings. This even as the other members of the family including Neerja their mother, Sanjay their father and their Dadi have to deal with their antics. Back in the day, it was almost a luxury to spend time alone without having your parents nag about your studies(and how wrong were we given that now I wish to spend most of my time with them). And this sentiment is nicely woven in its opening episode wherein the kids get a chance to stay alone following a turn of events before learning an important life lesson along the way. This definitely sets the tone for the rest of the drama to follow while also retaining its innocence and bouts of humour along the way.
The proceedings are engaging while having a silver lining of comedy, often accompanying the narrative – be it the sibling rivalry that takes a backseat following the presence of a new member in the family for a brief while. Or even Ritika being the elder sibling, taking ownership of the actions of her younger brother who is swayed on a wrong path while briefly touching upon the concepts of toxic parenting very deftly. This, while retaining the flavour of the 90s, literally and figuratively, by regular symbols of nostalgia namely the Fiat car, or Doordarshan playing on TV(shown as SS on the show) or even the kids fiddling and playing around with a cigarette ‘sweet’, something that I did too in my childhood before my mother banned it completely out of fear(lol). These are subtle memories of nostalgia that the show is willing to take you on besides also touching upon the concept of inferiority complex, with the character of Ritika having the one for height, something that I did experience too while growing up. How does it matter once you are old though? I wish kids are taught that at a very young age – most shortcomings don’t matter in the long run, be it with your appearance of academic results. The important thing is to be a good human at the end of the day!
The area where the drama briefly falters with is in its final episode that didn’t quite sit right with the ongoing theme of the show. The love angle seemed a little out of place as opposed to another chapter with respect to the family setup of the Awasthis, something that could have been tapped into. Although if I were to look and examine individually, the events of the love story are decent but at no point was I fully invested given the limited time frame. And to top it, the ending left me with a feeling of incompleteness too, wherein it almost seemed like the same chain of events would be spilled over in its next season. But that stutter aside, the screenplay is yet again well written and makes for a good watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are enjoyable while inducing bouts of humour while keeping the conversations between the characters alive. The BGM works well in the context of the drama with maintaining the ambience of the 90s through its heartfelt notes. The cinematography does well in capturing frames that immediately allow a sense of nostalgia to kick in. The symbolic representation of 90s through frames featuring the older model of Fiat or Doordarshan playing out on TV(shown as SS) definitely does its bit in transporting you to the bygone era. The editing is good and much better from its previous season. Director Rahib Siddiqui does a pretty good job in keeping the sensibilities of the drama in check with respect to the emotions, relatability and nostalgia. As a result, there is a bittersweet emotion within you while witnessing the drama while being transported to the good ol’ days of the 90s. I liked how the director used the technique of breaking the fourth wall smartly(without overdoing it) that instantly put a smile on my face. And the legacy of the characters was maintained quite well too. The direction was pretty solid here.
Performances
The performances are pretty good by the ensemble cast. Sarwam Kulkarni as Vaibhav is wonderfully understated in what was a sincere and earnest act. Veena Mehta as Dadi is quite warm and affable(aren’t all grandparents?) while always being a silent support to the kids, often taking their side during an argument or offering a playful advice from her own childhood. Angaad Raaj as Rishi has a cute and witty presence and he just kills it with his one-liners. There was a heartwarming quality coupled with innocence that made his character very affable. Rajesh Kumar as Sanju is very well restrained and quite subtle with his performance. His character was the calming influence in the family with a dash of humour and it was a fabulous performance by him. There is something about the quietness in his character who might be an absorbant of problems(not shown here) while silently cushioning his family while offering a smile at any given point of time. Juhi Parmar as Neerja is firm and assertive on the outside but caring and tender from within. And she is excellent here simply by controlling the boundaries of her character like in the previous seasons too. I absolutely loved the growth of Hetal Gada as Ritika who shows signs of maturity through her character be it standing up for her younger brother(while bringing him back to the right path after a bout of realisation) or even admitting to her mistakes in perhaps one of my favourite scenes of the show. She is such a natural onscreen in a character which is slowly shown to be maturing. She is terrific with all her emotions in an overall job done really well.
Conclusion
Boasting of good performances, The fourth season of Yeh Meri Family is a heartwarming drama with a tinge of nostalgia from the 90s that makes for a sweet little watch. Available on Amazon miniTV.
