Premiering on Prime Video on March 10, 2023, with the first few chapters of the lot, Happy Family Conditions Apply Episode 1-4 have seemingly already won by pitching its star-studded ensemble starring Ratna Pathak Shah, Raj Babbar, Atul Kulkarni, Ayesha Jhulka, Sanah Kapur, Meenal Sahu, Raunaq Kamdar, and Ahaan Saboo. The Hindi family dramedy series is directed and created by Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas Majethia, under the banner of Hats Off Production, the same production house that brought us the classic sitcoms of the early 2000s – Khichdi and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.
The first four episodes out of the 10-episode series are already out, and each one of them follows the usual sitcom trend of having a runtime under the 30 minute mark. Amazon’s Original Series follows the highs and lows of four generations of the joint Dholakia family living in Mumbai. Despite their respective quirky personalities and the arising dysfunctionalities, the family’s dynamics are just as relatable as they’re humorous.
-Happy Family Conditions Apply Episode 1-4 Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
With four generations stirring the family drama, things are bound to get boisterous due to clashing perceptions of life. The issue that incites the first case of theatrics in the Dholakia family is that of the third generation counterparts wanting to build a new abode, all for themselves, one which is disjoint from the all-encompassing roof of their grand family’s home.
Taking us on a priceless ride, the first four episodes centre around how the rest of the family members either seemingly accept or turn away from this decision while dramatically conveying their opinions on the matter. The best bit about this has to be how the show doesn’t vilify either parties, rather allows them to retain their thought processes, or transform them in case they hurt someone’s sentimentality. This is where the “conditions apply” – i.e. the conditions of the contemporary present – that don’t let people pass off a detrimental comment as a joke.
It felt great to witness Ratna Pathak Shah back in her element, especially since I’ve grown up watching Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2004). What was even more hilarious was that her new character, as the grandmother in the family, was an amalgamation of both her old character Maya and that of Rupali Ganguly’s Monisha from the 2004 Star TV’s sitcom.
Atul Kulkarni, on the other hand, has completely taken a U-turn with his new avatar that surprisingly fits like a glove. Having mostly seen him adorn solemn and serious roles prior to this gig, it was a pleasant surprise to see him in a family comedy, wherein his portrayal of the dramatic father has perfect comic timing.
Raj Babbar settles in as the warmhearted grandfather, whose responses have a softening (and, sometimes, the much-needed commanding) quality to them if Ratna Pathak Shah’s quick-witted reactions spice up the scene. And of course, a sitcom like this is only bound to work when the disparate identities and quirks of each character have the capability of both gelling in and playing off each other. Happy Family does make us happy in that sense to some extent as the ensemble cast is able to pull it off well. Ayesha Jhulka’s comeback is a sight for sore eyes indeed. Her ‘Mom’ character is probably one of my favourites in the show.
However, if we’re looking back to the original classics that have been mentioned before as well, it feels as if the show is merely testing the ground for experimentation, and confirming if the audience is ready to consume these old life-like shows again or not. In that way, the latest Amazon Original seems to have played it safe, but is nonetheless able to revive the the category of shows which permitted the entire family to sit down together and watch something without having to exchange moments of awkward silence.
A sense of modernity pervades in the kind of open jokes that are heard on the show as well, which is probably why the series has been restricted to adult audiences only. Yet it all still goes hand in hand with the family friendliness of the content.
Happy Family Conditions Apply Episode 1-4: Final Thoughts
The Dholakia house is nowhere close to the spatial arrangement of the rather humble abode of the Parekh household as seen in Khichdi. Yet although modern features seem to have taken over the grand scheme of things, the show’s heart is in the same place, which makes you question for a moment if the series was indeed released in 2023 or not.
In an age, when everything seems to be falling apart, Happy Family rehashes feelings and themes of the past that we still deeply miss and crave for, while intermeshing them with the taste palette and colours of the present. Breaking away from the usual pattern of OTT releases, the new Hats Off Production imparts the warmth of a sunrise in a gloomy OTT field brimming with tragically dark content.
More comical chuckles await us in the upcoming episodes of the series. The first four ones are now streaming on Prime Video, while the rest will be released in the counts of two every Friday until March 31, 2023.
Thoroughly enjoyed happy family conditions apply.A good series well written well made .The characterisations are well defined which is Aatish’s USP and the performances of all actors very good.A refreshing series.
The series is not entertaining at all. Wondering how the critical says Hemlata’s character is an amalgamation of Maya Sarabhai and Monisha of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.. nowhere close to either of them. Maya was sophisticated while Monisha was a funny miserly middle class bahu always looking for weird ways to save money. Hemlata is an irritating character, with crass dialogues and racist comments.