When the feeling of 90s nostalgia starts to wash off in an episode or two, I believe, one starts to realize that what we have here is a medley of Malcolm in the Middle and Mother India. And the creators aren't shy about it either. However, I don't think this brazen remixing should be confused with creativity. Because once the clihed tropes settle in, you are left with the crux of the content. This is where the test for the writers begin.
I think the core stories are quite interesting because they connect with a sense of realism for a lot of 20s and 30s something in India who have access to filmmaking platforms and networks now, finally. While this is a great thing for Indian cinema and TV, it also raises the bar for originality. We cannot complain our whole lives about lack of originality in Indian films and then repeat the same mistakes when given a chance.
Also, the urge to connect with the tropes and styles that define the show is strong among the creators. Connection to Mother India is obvious. The foundational structure and style of Malcolm of the Middle becomes evident too very soon. Once you see it, you cannot unsee how much they influence the show. But, I am troubled more by the lack of subtlety in making these connections. I think the writers need to respect their audience and tone down on the cinematic and nostalgic references. They need to be there but not in our faces.
Unless, Yeh Meri Family moves to a subtler style, this show will become one of the many things that happened on Netflix. If they want it to be remembered, they need to go deeper into the emotional journey of becoming a teenager in India and the commonalities with kids growing up today all over the world. This transcendence can make it a great show, which it has potential to be. Will the creators realize this? That's a different story.
PS. Don't judge an Indian show or film by its ratings these days. Audiences can be quite monolithic when it comes to tastes.
I think the core stories are quite interesting because they connect with a sense of realism for a lot of 20s and 30s something in India who have access to filmmaking platforms and networks now, finally. While this is a great thing for Indian cinema and TV, it also raises the bar for originality. We cannot complain our whole lives about lack of originality in Indian films and then repeat the same mistakes when given a chance.
Also, the urge to connect with the tropes and styles that define the show is strong among the creators. Connection to Mother India is obvious. The foundational structure and style of Malcolm of the Middle becomes evident too very soon. Once you see it, you cannot unsee how much they influence the show. But, I am troubled more by the lack of subtlety in making these connections. I think the writers need to respect their audience and tone down on the cinematic and nostalgic references. They need to be there but not in our faces.
Unless, Yeh Meri Family moves to a subtler style, this show will become one of the many things that happened on Netflix. If they want it to be remembered, they need to go deeper into the emotional journey of becoming a teenager in India and the commonalities with kids growing up today all over the world. This transcendence can make it a great show, which it has potential to be. Will the creators realize this? That's a different story.
PS. Don't judge an Indian show or film by its ratings these days. Audiences can be quite monolithic when it comes to tastes.