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91%
4.03 

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.::Be-witchingly cute and innocently funny!!::.
Jul 19, 2003 11:51 PM 20643 Views
(Updated Aug 17, 2003 01:52 PM)

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”In this life he laughs longest who laughs last.”


John Masefield (1878 - 1967), ''Window in Bye Street'', 1912


“You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants.”


Stephen King (1947 - ), ''Hearts in Atlantis''


If there is one chore that I replicate possibly 3 times in a minute is “baring my teeth”…Even the minutest and the silliest thing in the world can get me rolling, and one such thing is this serial called “Shararat”. However, my GF thinks that excessive laughing has given me crow-feet and lines at all the wrong places, and my mom thinks laughing makes an already idiotic face of mine look unbearable…though the irony remains that both of them can’t bear me gloomy for a second.


Oh! I forgot! I had to write on a serial. Yes, actually I am not an avid television viewer but I do follow some of the sitcoms religiously week after week. Of my absolute favourites are Shararat and Khichdi. But since, I am not the Grimm Reeper and can’t include 2 reviews in 1, I am reviewing just the former for now!


.::Some basics of Shararat::.


If you still haven’t realised, Shararat is a weekly comedy aired on the current king of channels—Star Plus. Talking of its content, it’s a decent lift-off of the yesteryear laugh-riot “Sabrina-The Teenage Witch”.


The story commenced when a lot many years ago, a wise woman called Rani Devi (Shammi Aunty) was actually granted a boon by a sage that she will have magical powers and every first girl in her family will be bestowed with the magical power when she turns 18. And hence we have the three generations of daughters in the Malhotra household, all bestowed with angelic/witchy powers. Of course Rani Devi is now over 1000 years old and is deceased. First up is Nani (Farida Jalal), who is the naughtiest of all the angels. She is the laziest of all, loves to read Cosmopolitan and practically does everything by magic (right from eating parathas to ironing clothes!). Next up is Radha (Poonam Narula), a comely housewife married to Suraj Malhotra (Mahesh Thakur) and believes in using her magical powers sensibly. The bubbliest of all is Jiya (Shruti Seth) who has recently acquired her magical powers, and though she was oblivious of them in the past has now learnt the tricks of late.


So Shararat actually revolves on how Jiya, Radha and Nani deal a life that is full of non-magic people (Muggles!!). And yes, there is enough to bother them and keep them on their toes. There’s an over-pokey neighbour (Shoma Anand) who has nothing better to do than to disturb the Malhotras at every hour to ask for kitchen raw-materials and then there’s her niece Pam who has spelt doom for Jiya from day one. And if they weren’t enough there are Suraj (Who hates the very thought of magic!) and Jai (Jiya’s younger brother) who doesn’t know a speck of what the three women of the house are upto.


.::What works for Shararat?::.


Magic!! The same concept that has bedazzled audiences magnanimously of late is at work here. Shararat is a world of fantasy and the reactions this enchanting world invokes from the non-magic people is what make it hilarious. Now since its an Indian serial, instead of spells which go like Wingardium Leviosa , you have


“Eeng Meeng Sarvaleeng, Bhootam, Bhavishyam Vartamaan mein badling”mouthed together with clicking of fingers as a precursor whenever a couplet of spell has to be uttered.


And the fantasy-factor works too well. Just watching Nani reading her magazine in the air, or her gulping down 35 parathas or 60 laddoos with a single click is downright hilarious. Ditto for the evil spells cast on Pam (watch Nani making Pam grow moustaches, beard, pimples, or turning her into a zombie or a rat).


Equally hilarious are the concepts behind each of the episode. If in one episode, Jiya loses her magic with a click to Pam, in another, Nani is working out every trick in the book to make Jiya win the teen beauty contest.


And then there are the interactions with Rani devi (the female Dumbledore…lol..) who is always slapping Nani with her invisible hands and imparting hilarious curses like making Nani eyes bewitched so that everything appears to be a big laddoo to her eyes!! Just watching the adults indulging in such hysteria is one helluva blast in itself.


.::Rating Shararat::.


The laugh factor:


This actually buds from the hilarious spells, Pam’s buffooneries and cute dialogues. Spontaneity and comedy timing of all the artistes is something to look out for. I didn't rate this factor much higher since I felt Shararat could be more amusing in parts.


Performances:


Awesome is the word. Farida Jalal as the naughtiest, loud-mouthed and laziest witch is a treat to watch. Ditto for Shruti Seth who, as Jiya, exuberates cuteness and frothy charm. Roma Anand and Poonam Narula, are again spot on and so is the girl who plays Pam. Just watch this girl doing a Kareena (complete with side-kicks) in those noodle-strap tops and hip-hugging trousers. Shammi Aunty who played Rani Devi earlier was awesome, but has been replaced by Daisy Irani of late who does an equally hilarious job. Rest of the cast is functional with all of them possessing great comic timing making Shararat a series to watch out for.


Special effects and technicalities:


Probably, if they had tumbled in this aspect, they would have tumbled bigtime. The cool and jazzy special effects are made of stuff that Harry Potters boast of. Exquisite shot-taking with immaculate sharpness in displaying transformations and magic, these are the USPs of Shararat.


Direction is by Rajiv Mehra (of Office Office fame) and hence the masterful touch of spontaneity in comedy is evidently visible. The title song is again fabulous and goes with the cheerful tempo of the serial. Production values are awesome proved by the snazzy special effects and the colourful designer sets.


.::Is Shararat for you?::.


Shararat is for everyone who don't shy away from smiling and laughing. Its a magical comedy that is bizzarre yet its cute, its fantasy-filled yet its innocent, its paranormal yet its amusing and it comes as a breath of fresh air every Friday evening. Some might dismiss it as a kiddo-affair (like I did initially, until Rek recommended it!), but the fact remains that Shararat has entertainment for everyone in the family.


Watch it to make your face swell with laughter!


Now before you move on to the comments, give me a broad smile...gee...thanks!!


Hope you liked the review....do comment if time permits....


©Karan 2003


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