I remember the first time Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hai was aired on newly launched ‘&TV’; there was an air of discomfort around the show. Touted as ‘&TV’s’ attempt to pull off a Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, nobody gave the Kanpur-based show a chance to work for the new channel, let alone become their flagship show.
And then Shilpa Shinde, famously known as Angoori Bhabhi, happened to the show and there was no looking back.
Such was Shilpa’s connect with her audiences, the show became an instant hit and Angoori bhabhi’s one liners became a part of the viewers’ everyday lingo! Her silly, yet extremely entertaining antics gained steam and the TRPs went through the roof! Soon enough, Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain became synonymous with Shilpa Shinde.
However, as is with all gifted actors, Shilpa grew on her audience in a manner that soon enough the show became unimaginable without her. So, when Shilpa fell out with the show’s producers recently, the show’s very popularity was at stake. However, several ugly public spats later, Shilpa finally bid the show goodbye and was replaced by Shubhangi Atre of Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Do Hanson Ka Jodaa & Kasturi fame.
Filling Shilpa’s shoes was always going to be a huge task for Shubhangi. And everybody expected she’d fall short.
Shubhangi, the new Agoori Bhabhi, appeared on the show for the first time today (Monday, April 25) and she broke all predictions. Despite the substandard writing of an otherwise smartly written show, she managed to stand out.
The makers of the show, instead of going full steam with Subhangi, seemed to be on the defensive and constantly kept the audience from the new character’s (changed) face.
Of the whole run time of 30 minutes of the show, Shubhangi was given hardly 5 minutes to come, see and conquer her audiences. But surprisingly, she made the most of those 5 minutes and how!
We always assumed we’d miss Shilpa as Angoori and that she was irreplaceable. But looks like we’ll have to move on and Shubhangi seems to be able to make it easy for us.
We’d love to know what you thought of Shubhangi’s first episode as Angoori Bhabhi. To send in your feedback, take the poll: