EXCLUSIVE: 'In such depressing times, it is a ray of hope in terms of laughter,' Rakesh Bedi on Doordarshan’s decision to re-air 'Shriman Shrimati'

By Gurpreet Kaur

on April 07, 2020

As Coronavirus grips India, Doordarshan has made staying at home more enjoyable for people during the lockdown by bringing its Golden Era shows back on television. The shows are being re-telecast include Ramayan, Mahabharat apart from Dekh Bhai Dekh, Buniyaad, Circus, Byomkesh Bakshi and others.

Apart from them, the rib tickling comedy Shriman Shrimati, produced by Markand Adhikari, too has made a comeback on DD National from in the 4 PM slot. Written by Ashok Patole and directed by Rajan Waghdhare, the sitcom featured late actors Reema Lagoo and Jatin Kanakia besides Archana Puran Singh and Rakesh Bedi. It originally aired between 1994-98 and revolved around the premise of "love thy neighbor's wife" and several other shows followed suit.

Now in an excluisve interview with PeepingMoon.com, Rakesh Bedi goes down the nostalgia road, and talks about DD's decision to re-air the show and if the newer generation relate to its content or not.

Excerpts from the interview:

How do you feel about Doordarshan’s decision to re-air Shriman Shrimati?

I am very happy that everybody is watching the show and that too, in such depressing times. So it is a ray of hope in terms of laughter. People in fact have fond memories of the show and people watch it over and over again. So I would say, it is a perfect time that the show is re-airing on Doordarshan.

Do you think the newer generation will connect with it?

They are already connected with it, just this time it is with a larger plethora of people. Everyone I meet has watched Shriman Shrimati and have been watching on platforms like Youtube. I am not saying all of them but yes, people have been following my other shows too like Yes Boss, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and all. As it is, the younger generation doesn’t watch TV too much or follow characters but still they are somehow connected to these iconic shows.

In the era of OTT platforms, bringing back old TV shows like Shriman Shrimati make sense or not?

They should come back and why not? My daughters watch shows on OTT platforms but still they have seen my shows and films. In fact, the OTT generation still has the shows fresh in their memories and bringing back now will only help them peep into our kind of television.