Disney+ Hotstar’s new web series ‘Ghar Waapsi’ is an Indian family drama series directed by Ruchir Arun. The show follows Shekhar, played by Vishal Vashishtha, who returns to his hometown Indore after he is fired from his high-paying job in Bengaluru. The show also stars veteran actors Atul Shrivastava and Vibha Chibber.
The mini-series is about a lot of things, and yet at no point does it feel forced or rushed. On the one hand, it is about reconnecting with your family and the nostalgia, a person experiences when visiting your hometown. On the other, it is also about the vicious cycle of being caught in the monotonous and ruthless startup-driven corporate culture where the employees are being used like “stepney” (a spare wheel for a vehicle).
In this blog, I will not dive deep into the storyline and reveal any spoilers. Rather I want to talk about what makes this show binge-worthy.
The actors of Ghar Waapsi
First, all the actors played their parts brilliantly, especially protagonist Vishal Vashishtha. His screen presence is great and the toned-down, subtle personality of an elder brother shown in the series comes out perfectly.
Anushka Kaushik and Saad Bilgrami have done full justice to their roles as younger siblings. Anushka, the youngest and the only sister of two brothers, shines through her parts. Her natural acting, her grasp over the craft, and simply her presence lights up the screen every time. She delivers some of the powerfull lines in the show with utmost sincerity.
Bilgrami, not as smart as his younger sister or as dependable as his elder brother, plays the part of the troubled middle child who tries hard not to disappoint his parents. And what can I say about the veterans Atul and Vibha? They are the real OGs of the trade. It’s always a delight to watch them. The parts of middle-class parents with very specific middle-class problems are portrayed beautifully by the two.
Ajitesh Gupta has played Shekhar’s friend Darshan in the series. His character will make you smile with his wit and innocence throughout the show. TVF Pitchers fame Aakanksha Thakur plays the role of Shekhar’s love interest. Thakur has played her part as a young divorced woman with grace and sincerity.
The Direction
Ruchir Arun’s direction is superb. While he does have a few popular shows to his name, I am sure Ghar Waapsi will turn out to be one of his career-defining shows. There are subtle nuances in the show that bring out characteristic features of the city of Indore and of the life, hopes, and ambitions of a middle-class family staying in this city.
Tusshar Mallek has given the background score and his music makes the series altogether a beautiful watch. The series has six episodes. And I can bet that after you binge-watch it, you would want to revisit some of the scenes.
In times of monotonous, illogical, and absurd Bollywood releases, shows like ‘Ghar Waapsi’ are like a breeze on a stuffy monsoon evening.
A Dice Media creation, the show is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
