Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls is an adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s book. Its cast shares that the show reflects social issues and attitude of modern women. By Shrabasti Mallik
If you were growing up in the 90s you would be familiar with the popular television show Hum Paanch, a story of five sisters, poles apart from each other, and their parents coping up with issues of everyday life. Cut to 2015 and television viewers are seeing the reincarnation of storyline in the form a new show called Dilli Walli Thakur Gurls on &tv.
Although the storyline is similar, the five sisters of the show — seasoned actors and newbies like Sara Afreen Khan, Shilpa Raizada, Sukirti Khandpal, Monika Sharma and Meera Deosthale (in decreasing order of age) — claim that the two shows are very different.
“In a few ways Hum Paanch and Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls are similar. They are both comedy and address everyday life. But Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls has a modern take. Here everything is realistic, like my character has broken a lot of hearts and occasionally flirts, although she is married. It will reflect the attitude of society towards women and will be different from other entertainers which are all about kitchen politics.
The show is a fashionable take on modern issues like freedom of girl. In the show, our father, a retired judge, brings up five daughters with pride,” said the eldest sister, Sara Afreen Khan at the launch of the show. “What we show in serials is actual life. Our show is a mirror of the society. We show the real world in shows. They are a reflection of the society,” Sukirti added.
like their names, the sisters, too, are poles apart. While Anjini is the fashionista of the family, Binny is the responsible one, always worried about her sisters and their well-being. Chandrakanta, often referred to as Chandi, is short-tempered and finds it difficult to keep her thoughts to herself. “Dabbu didi (Sukirti’s character) and me are more or less similar. She is calm and quiet and loves stray dogs and I am a normal everyday high school girl,” said Meera.
An avid reader, Sukirti, believes that when a book is turned into a movie it loses much of its sheen whereas a television serial gives it a wider canvas and focusses on minute details of the narrative. “When I read Eat, Pray and love by Elizabeth Gilbert, I fell in love with the description of the place. The visual images of white curtains flowing in the wind, the serenity of the little beach were magical.
But those little details were missing in the movie. Much of the subtle yet important details are lost in the translation because in a movie you are time bound. But in television you have the opportunity to explore and implement those details and I am looking forward to that,” explained Sukirti, who happens to be the only sister to have read Chauhan’s book. Parts of the show were shot across the major landmarks in the Capital, including India Gate, Red Fort, Delhi Haat, Connaught Place and India Habitat Centre.