Review: SAB TV's Lapataganj - Ek Baar Phir

What would you generally expect in a TV serial wherein the circumstances are such that there are limited hours of electricity, scarcity of water, mosquitoes stinging you all throughout the night and many other impediments? Especially if this was a family drama, you would have expected to see squabbles, family politics and fist fights over these issues. It is a boon that we have a rib-tickling channel like SAB TV, where a similar scenario is portrayed through the kaleidoscope of comedy. In Lapataganj-Ek Baar Phir (Garima Productions) which is the second season of Lapataganj, the villagers bond even when they have tiffs and arguments over issues like serious water scarcity. Though they are going through myriad hardships on a daily basis, they smile and laugh, and most importantly they do not lose hope. Kudos to satirist Sharad Joshi, and the entire creative team of the show, that they are conveying the message to society how people can relax and be at ease even while going through the most nagging problems. The woes that the residents of Lapataganj go through are very identifiable especially by those living in our villages and small towns. Social satire has been sweetly blended in to the plot. The five year lapse from the former season has been explored with lucidity. The residents have found respite to their struggles, though partially. The kids have grown older. Family circumstances have changed in the lives of the characters. The heart and soul of the show remains the same- the residents living a contented life amidst hardships. This maybe one of the most realistic TV serials set in rural India. In most of the other shows set in rustic India the women characters wear heavy makeup, expensive jewellery and lavish costumes. The sets are grand which is absolutely contradictory to the fact that our villagers lead very simple lives. The sets of Lapataganj-Ek Baar Phir are simple and realistic and far closer to what rural homes are like. The characters wear far simpler clothes, minimal jewellery and no heavy makeup. The dialogues (the prologue and epilogue) are poetic. Lapataganj-Ek Baar Phir is more of a slice of life show, which has a lyrical feel to it. As far as the performances are concerned, the actors have done justice to their roles. The cinematography is also satisfactory, especially the landscape shots against the rising/ setting sun and the night sky. Coming to the drawbacks of the show, the politician Mataji getting electric shocks was more slapstick than subtle humour which did not tickle us. The Hindi songs played to highlight certain scenes were a bit jarring- maybe music wasn’t mandatory in those scenes. To sum up, the second season of Lapataganj has started off relatively well. We wish that it sticks to the technique of restrained humour and not a garish lol (laugh out loud) style.