Sometimes, script writers would do well to look around and take in what?s really going on in their world, or in the outside world and take a leaf from that. It?s okay to celebrate festivals and religious events, but what about the little things that concern society, especially children.
That?s where the makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasma have scored. Tapu, Sonu and Goli have appeared for their Class 10 Board exams, like lakhs across India, especially Maharashtra. The idea is introduced outrageously with Sodhi waking up all of Gokuldham Society to drum beats! His Gogi puttar has passed scoring all of 55 per cent! As his neighbours try to explain that it isn?t a high score and reason to celebrate; he says it is the highest percentage a Sodhi has ever obtained. Little Gogi bursts into tears. He is going to miss Tapu, Goli and Sonu as they will now leave school.

The three now turn somber and so do their parents. The first question is about the date of the results. Jethalal and Bhide have their sparring match on that. Otherwise preoccupied with what adults focus on when results are due ? the percentage, college, etc. The children are worried what their results will be like. As they aver: Will decide which stream, depending on our marks.
That night at Abdul?s soda shop, when the discussion veers around What Next for Tapu Sena. Jethalal admits he hasn?t thought of anything. Bhide pompously announces that he has decided on engineering for Sonu. According to Dr Hathi, when Goli was born he had told people: Here is another doctor.

It is Taarak Mehta who brings up a relevant point, which is a perennial problem with the parents. Have you asked the children what they want to do? He advises counseling for the children to guide them to the right stream.

Parents imposing their opinions on their children, prevents them from choosing their own future is the malaise of our society. Often non-fiction shows have dealt with such incidents where children are coerced or even forced to go to the stream the father has wanted. More often than not, such children have other issues and even resort to a drastic escape route like drug addiction.

Time and again, TMKOC has shown a mirror to society?s foibles, and led it down a corrective path. An earlier sequence dealt with Popatlal being scammed by a fraudulent bride-to-be. A warning about eager grooms and hasty marriages.

Since its first telecast in 2008, about 1700 episodes, and eight years later, the cast has by large remained the same barring a few characters. This is most unusual. When there was a switch of Sodhis, it was done neatly ? by sending him off to Chandigarh. When he returns to the show, it was an outrageous sequence, where all the men folk get kidnapped and meet Sodhi. Mrs Roshan Sodhi and Sonu too have been replaced. This truly commendable for a daily sitcom.

The bratty Tapu Sena is now in their teens, they have grown with the show. There is no knowing what the script team has in store for us. Till then, keep watching, and keep laughing.
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Society can be cruel, as we have been seeing in Thapki Pyar Ki. First, she was rejected at the mandap by the groom. He was short and full of complexes for his own inadequacy and arrogant. Shattered over the events, she is goaded into striking out in her career. Her colleagues at the TV channel mock her for her stammer. But Vani faces it all with equanimity and dignity. Her weakness will be her strength.
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Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyar is taking the proverbial soap opera convulated route. We weren?t surprised with the new character Dr Kartik, a young whiz kid gynecologist as Suhani?s boyfriend. Nishi has just been diagnosed as unable to conceive. Neil, surprisingly has just bought a hospital chain. Who knows he might attach Dr Aman?s hospital to the chain?
Must say, soap time is getting sudsy.