‘Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!’ recently completed 9 years of the show, and it has been one of the most popular comedy shows in the history of Indian television. Rohitashv Gour, who plays Manmohan Tiwari, opens up about the show, the changing audience preferences, the infiltration of OTT and lots more.
Rohitashv Gour, who is seen as Manmohan Tiwari in ‘Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!’, says the pressure of keeping up with the audience’s expectations has increased, especially with OTT becoming so popular. He mentioned that the pressure is not just on actors but on writers, directors, and producers too, because the audience now has a plethora of options to choose from.
“The pressure is inevitable, especially when it comes to meeting the audience’s expectations. A lot has changed since the beginning, back when there were only TV shows and movies; there was no OTT platform. Audiences were more unified back then, but now they’re scattered across various platforms, with diverse preferences. So, the pressure to perform well and deliver compelling stories has increased significantly. This pressure isn’t just on actors; it’s also on writers and directors. Everyone involved in creating content feels the weight of meeting the heightened expectations of the audience,” he says.
He also addressed that though the show has maintained its no. 1 position, there hasn’t been any direct pressure on the actors, adding, “There’s always the pressure to meet the audience’s expectations, as I mentioned earlier. That’s just something that comes with the territory.”
He also pointed out that every character in a show goes through a transformation as the show progresses. He believes that while certain aspects of the character remain unchanged, various improvisations are made depending on the story.
He says, “In the beginning, when the show starts, certain aspects of the character’s personality are established and remain consistent throughout. However, as the story progresses, the character’s reactions and behaviours become more spontaneous and adapt according to the unfolding narrative. While the foundational traits set at the start remain intact, various improvisations are made along the way to keep the character’s arc interesting. So, even though the character’s core essence remains the same as it was about 8–9 years ago, there are occasional changes and developments introduced to enhance the storyline.”
Earlier this month, the show completed nine years, and Rohitashv Gour couldn’t be happier. Sharing his joy, he says, “It’s truly a remarkable feat that we’ve completed nine years. It’s hard to believe how time flies. Yesterday’s moments were so nostalgic for us. I was reminiscing about the first day when I forgot the way to the set and ended up at Bhajanlal Dairy. As I searched and finally headed towards the village, I suddenly realized, ‘Oh my, the set is here!’ I was fretting about having to come this far every day, thinking it might just be a game for 3 or 4 months. But spending nine years here has been a beautiful journey.”
And he has enjoyed every twist and turn brought about in the story. Sharing a few that took him by surprise, he says, “A surprising moment for me was when, in my wedding scene on the show, as per a ritual, I had to get married wearing a costume of a particular animal. There was an episode where Pandit Ramfal revealed that if Tiwari’s marriage is solemnized with an animal, a looming danger would be averted. So, they actually brought a costume onto the set, which was a big surprise for me because I wasn’t informed about this sequence beforehand. I thought they might use a dummy or something similar, but they actually brought a real costume.”
Just like their bonding in the show, the ‘Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!’ team always looks out for one another, and motivates and encourages each other in times of need. “We share a lot of things. We share humorous plots, discuss each other’s performances, and sometimes reminisce about things we did four years ago. I remind them of those moments, then we recall their old good work, share jokes, make improvisations, and have fun. This is how we keep motivating each other,” he says.
Rohitashv Gour is all praise for producers Binaiferr Kohli and Sanjay Kohli. He said, “They are excellent producers, and the best part is that they don’t interfere on the set much. They visit to celebrate milestones, for instance, they came once when we reached 2000 episodes, then again at 2300, and recently after completing 9 years,” he says.
“Sanjay Kohli is definitely involved in plot making discussions. There’s a lot of laughter and brainstorming among the team, including Harshida ji, Shahasak ji, Manoj Shantoshi, Sanjay ji, and Raghuveer Shikhavat ji. So, Sanjay Kohli’s involvement in plot making is certainly there, but they don’t interfere excessively,” he concludes.