Flop Show, a satirical sitcom of the 90s is all set to be re-telecasted on Doordarshan. In coronavirus lockdown, as iconic shows of Doordarshan including Mahabharat, Ramayan, Buniyaad, Shaktimaan and others are making a comeback to the silver screen, Jaspal Bhatti and Savita Bhatti's sitcom joins the list. On Monday, the official Twitter handle of Doordarshan announced the re-run of Flop Show. "Jaspal Bhatti's all-time superhit Flop Show is back. Watch every day at 6 pm only on DD National," read the tweet. Take a look:
ENJOY NOW:
— Doordarshan National (@DDNational) May 19, 2020
Your favourite Jaspal Bhatti's #FlopShow on your favourite channel @DDNational pic.twitter.com/tquK78GaAb
Veteran actress Savita Bhatti, who starred and co-produced the show, told PTI in an interview, "The coming back of 'Flop Show' has rejuvenated my life... It's emotional as it's so intrinsic to my identity. All those layers of life's ups and downs, they just disappear. Now that it's back on TV, your identity is being refreshed in your own eyes. Otherwise, you question yourself thinking, 'Am I someone who can be a has-been at this stage of my life?' Whatever happens in your life, you will always be a part of such an eternal show."
The announcement of Doordarshan came a month after Savita Bhatti told PTI in an interview that she would "really be the happiest to see Flop Show on TV again." Savita Bhatti told PTI, "I watch the show on YouTube sometimes to see Jaspalji alive. I come across comments from people who have watched the show recently. I feel happy that there are so many of them in the current generation who don't know about him and still know the kind of vision he had, which stands unparalleled still today. I would really be the happiest to see Flop Show on TV again."
Savita Bhatti's husband Jaspal Bhatti, who created and directed Flop Show, died in a car accident in 2012. Referring to Jaspal Bhatti, Savita Bhatti told PTI, "At a time when Chandigarh was far away from the national capital of Delhi and Mumbai, the entertainment hub, Jaspal Bhatti showed courage by shooting the show in the city. He built a film environment in this city, used the locations for production and developed a pool of local talent. Also hats off to the team as well who latched on to the show as it were their own project. It was the first time we saw a Sikh gentleman on TV associated with intelligent thoughts and humour with great depth."
Savita Bhatti further added, "Doordarshan, which censors so much content, didn't edit a single word of Flop Show. The irony was the last episode of the show was about Doordarshan and the broadcaster aired that. A big thumbs-up to DD for that. But a greater kudos to Jaspal ji for his writing. Even if you break down, you remember the laughs."
As the country entered its first phase of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, Doordarshan brought back its cult shows to the silver screen. Due to the re-telecast of iconic shows such as Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan and others, Doordarshan recently topped the TRP charts after decades.
(With PTI inputs)
