'Bakaiti' review: ZEE5 show is warm, entertaining, and relatable
What's the story
The slice-of-life drama Bakaiti, starring Rajesh Tailang and Sheeba Chadha, among others, instantly feels like a reflection of our lives. The fast-paced and well-acted show might as well be a spiritual successor to Gullak. While it may not always be sharp and well-rounded, and its themes are quite on the nose, it makes for an entertaining, warm watch nonetheless. It's streaming on ZEE5.
Plot
Focuses on a middle-class family of four
Bakaiti, directed by Ameeet Guptha, revolves around the Kataria family in Ghaziabad. To address their financial crunch, they decide to rent out a room, leaving the kids, Naina (Tanya Sharma) and Bharat (Aditya Shukla), unhappy because they now need to share a room. The family quickly finds a tenant, Chirag (Keshav Sadhna), but unfortunately, the financial problems only worsen. What will they do now?
#1
Positives: Chadha and Tailang lead a fine ensemble
With Chadha and Tailang leading the ensemble, what can go wrong? Chadha, as homemaker Sushma, and Tailang, as the family's patriarch Sanjay, are rooted in authenticity. As we spend more time with them over seven episodes, they become more grounded and mirror the people we see in our own families and surroundings. Plus, even when Tailang isn't on-screen, his character binds the story together.
#2
More on Chadha's performance
Though Chadha is trapped in a series of similar roles, she delivers a distinguished performance each time. Here, too, she gets several moments to shine (especially emotional and confrontational ones), and in somber scenes, her eyes do all the talking. As a mother struggling to save her family (and herself) from falling apart, she's so believable that you just want someone to hug her.
#3
Its realism and humor keep things breezy
With its everyday humor and dialogues that seem to have been picked from our lives, Bakaiti strikes a chord easily. While this genre is on the verge of oversaturation, Bakaiti, surprisingly, feels fresh and true to life. In several scenes, it reminded me of Seema Pahwa's Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, particularly in the way it captures the hypocrisy and rotten "traditions" of Indian families.
#4
More on the above aspect
A running joke about the water tank overflowing, a sub-plot about Sanjay and his brother fighting over assets, and Naina's educational ambitions—several storylines save Bakaiti from sagging. Humorous, everyday dialogues and character arcs help the show maintain a certain level of engagement. Moreover, the detailing behind each character reflects the makers' attention to detail, and as the episodes progress, the characters gradually grow, too.
#5
Blurs boundaries between fiction and reality
What best describes a middle-class home? The chaos from the kitchen, the sound of utensils banging against one another, and multiple people talking about different things together—these homes often know no silence. Bakaiti taps right into this relatability, etching an engaging story in a way that it feels like you're watching your life unfold right in front of you!
#6
Supporting actors don't disappoint, either
Tailang and Chadha find immense support from Sharma and Shukla, who are both pleasantly natural in their respective roles. Their constant bickering drives the show, and Sharma gets to do the heavy lifting in several emotional scenes, particularly in the second half of the series. It's one of the few instances where each lead character is a driving force of the project.
#7
Negatives: Areas where it could have been better
Bakaiti, however, is not without its share of flaws. The story is told over seven crisp, fast-paced episodes, which means that several aspects of the narrative are rushed and glossed over. For instance, in the second episode, Bharat and Naina have a change of heart within minutes, so it becomes instantly unbelievable. Plot-wise, too, there are sudden thematic shifts.
#8
The ending lacks depth
There are also glaring issues with its weirdly simplistic climax. By the seventh episode, it seems like the show runs out of ideas and creativity, and hurriedly, awkwardly ties all the threads together (a problem found in most Hindi series). Characters take actions that seem too uncharacteristic of them, and the episode struggles because it becomes a tonal mess.
#9
Chirag's character is not handled properly
The show slips with Chirag's subplot. An element of thrill and suspense is thrown into the story with his character, and it feels completely out of place. Similarly, the resolution of his arc is also anti-climactic and convenient, and doesn't tie with the larger story. Naina's brief infatuation with him, too, adds nothing to the plot.
Verdict
Makes for a quick weekend watch; 3.5/5 stars
Bakaiti might not feel anything extraordinary or inventive, but it doesn't aim to, either. It's content with being a simple, relatable story of a middle-class family, and most of its focus is on mirroring our lives. While the writers could have handled some plot points better, Bakaiti still remains worth watching due to its memorable characters and overall nostalgic feel. 3.5/5 stars.