There are moments in Amazon Prime Video’s new rural comedy (yes, it is a genre now) Dupahiya where you are transported to the simpler world of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Govind Nihalani films. Dupahiya, a scathing satire in the garb of a light comedy, is in the genre of Welcome to Sajjanpur and Nukkad as it is a spiritual successor of Panchayat. The show manages to talk about everything from kleptomania to dowry and even the obsession with fair skin without ever getting preachy or dull. The brilliant acting performances, complemented by a catchy score, make this the most fun watch of the year so far. (Also read: Gajraj Rao says filmmakers ‘assumed audiences wanted item numbers’, brought limitations to Indian cinema)
What is Dupahiya about
Dupahiya is the story of Dhadakpur, ‘India’s only crime-free village’. Situated somewhere deep in Bihar, this village has not seen a crime in 24 years. As the villagers await a new boring well for their crime-free silver jubilee, tragedy strikes. A dupahiya (two-wheeler) the Jha family (led by Gajraj Rao) had purchased as dowry for his daughter’s (Shivani Raghuvanshi) wedding is stolen. Now, the pradhaan (Renuka Shahane) must hide this ‘news’ from getting public while the bride’s brother (Sparsh Srivastava) and her ex-flame (Bhuvan Arora) must find the dupahiya before the ladke wale cancel the wedding. Complicating matters is a zealous cop (Yashpal Sharma) with an axe to grind with Dhadakpur. And he can smell a crime from afar.
The USP of Dupahiya
Its simplicity is Dupahiya’s greatest strength. The show has a template laid out before it in Panchayat. But it veers clear of it. Nowhere does it look like it’s trying to ape anything or replicate something. Dupahiya stands independently, a tough task in today’s oversaturated OTT climate.
The writing elevates Dupahiya above just a generic comedy. The dialogue, in particular, is crisp, sharp, and hilarious. Despite retaining the colour and feel of the vernacular, they are universal enough for the show to have a wide appeal and understanding. The delivery—by some splendid actors—makes them even better.
Talking about the actors, Bhuvan Arora and Sparsh Srivastava, two young actors showcase their range and phenomenal comic timing. The two play characters against type, far removed from the world of Farzi and Laapataa Ladies, respectively. They are the brightest sparks of this show. Renuka Shahane is effortlessly good. Each time you see her own the frame on screen, you wish she wasn’t so selective and would grace us with more of these impeccable performances. Gajraj Rao excels once again in a hapless man caught in a quagmire role, but still manages to bring freshness to it. Shivani Raghuvanshi also shows her range and gets her seetimaar monologue towards the end, deservedly so. The atrangi supporting characters, including Avinash Dwivedi’s excellently hateable groom Kuber, are the perfect garnishing. Not one casting or performance is off-beat here, a rarity in today’s times.
But what particularly endeared me to the show was how it plays like a mystery. The theft of the dupahiya and how the Jhas will replace it is a thrill-a-minute ride. Amidst all this, the narrative manages to include tracks based on a village girl’s insecurity about her skin tone, a man’s battle with kleptomania and facing jibes of chor, and, of course, the dowry debate. Yet, none of them overpower the main narrative or pause the comedy. Even the grand showdown does not appear out of place. Director Sonam Nair deserves full marks for maintaining that consistency.
To sum it up
Dupahiya is reminiscent of the best of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, of simple comedies from the 80s and 90s from Doordarshan that married message with humour in a way that wasn’t accused of being ‘woke’. The way Amazon Prime Video has publicised it like almost a tentpole is a welcome sign for Indian content scene. Maybe, content over starpower will eventually find its place. And when (if) it does, we can look at Dupahiya as one of the milestones on that path.