Gullak Web Series Review: Set in a small town in North India, this series focuses on the middle-class Mishra family and their day-to-day struggles. Review: At the start of the show, an earthen piggy bank, i.e. the narrator of the story (voiceover by Shivankit Singh Parihar) explains – “Gullak is not a story but a series of anecdotes.” True to his words, this series unfolds through various incidents in the lives of the Mishras. There is the sweet and sarcastic mother Shanti (Geetanjali Kulkarni) who rarely speaks without yelling. Her loving and forgiving husband Santosh (Jameel Khan) who works in the local electricity department. Their elder son Annu (Vaibhav Raj Gupta), who is worried about the family’s future, is preparing for the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exams and his happy-go-lucky younger brother Aman (Harsh Mayar) is his partner-in-crime. Directed by Amrit Raj Gupta, ‘Gullak‘ (Gullak of Memories) is a lovely five-episode web series brought to you by TVF. The show is relatable and through its simple narrative proves that it is the story of any middle-class Indian family. With no life-changing events, the Mishra family struggles with noisy washing machines, fights between relatives, complaints about food (for instance, Shanti makes ‘tehri’ for lunch, however, all the family members call it ‘disappointing yellow potato rice’) and neighbourhood aunties (especially Bittu’s mother, played by Sunita Rajwar).
Thanks to Nikhil Vijay Moghare’s simple writing, the humour of the series is not laugh-out-loud funny. However, it manages to maintain an overall pleasant tone. The dialogues and background keep reminding the audience that it is about the normal lives of average people. Moreover, Anurag Saikia’s background score goes well with the story and the title track is hummable too.
Additionally, the drama is graced with pitch-perfect performances from the talented Jameel Khan and the fabulous Geetanjali Kulkarni, who have very easily mispronounced a few words – like inverter as inverter. Their dialogue delivery and expressions are excellent. The vivacious Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar are just like any other siblings – they can’t stand each other and can’t live without each other. It’s a pleasure to be around these four characters and watch them bond and fight together.
Overall, Gullak Web Series is a family drama is no laugh riot but it will definitely make you laugh and smile.
