Khichdi (franchise)

TheKhichdifranchiseis aHindilanguage franchise of television series and films created by Hats Off Productions andUTV Software Communications, written and directed by Aatish Kapadia. It is one of the earliest franchises onIndian Televisionto adopt the western model of appearing inseasonsand also the first Indian television series to be adapted into aBollywood film series.
The franchise began as a weekly sitcom, debuting itsfirst seasonon 10 September 2002 onStar Plus.The principal cast, consisting of actorsSupriya Pathak,Rajeev Mehta,Anang Desai, andVandana Pathak, was joined byJamnadas Majethiawho also served as a co-producer of the series alongside Kapadia. It was succeeded by a direct continuation calledInstant Khichdithat aired on Star Plus's sister channel,Star One.
In 2010, the franchise was rebooted and adapted into a full-length feature film titledKhichdi: The Movie, with most of the main cast reprising their roles from the television series.8 years later, the franchise returned with athird season(anothersoft rebootwith the same main cast) as a prime-time weekend show on Star Plus and then on streaming platformHotstar.A direct sequel to the first film, titledKhichdi 2: Mission Paanthukistan, released in 2023.
Over the years, the franchise has seen several re-airings on Star Plus and its affiliated channels likePogo,Star Utsav,Star Bharatetcand has garnered acult following.
After establishing their company "Hats Off Productions" to produce plays,Jamnadas Majethiaand Aatish Kapadia engaged in various projects, including their collaborations for serials likeEk Mahal Ho Sapno KawithVipul ShahandBabul Ki Duwayen Leti Jaawith Shobhana Desai.As they transitioned fromtheatreto television, they recognized a void in the television landscape at that time with dearth of comedy-centric content.Aiming to fill this gap, they approachedStar Pluswith their proposal for a new show,  inspired by the storyline of their firstGujarati Playfrom Hats Off Productions which was titledLadakvaya, that led to the creation ofKhichdi.
The first two seasons on television primarily followed an episodic format, with most plots resolving within one or two episodes. Occasionally, the show delved into subplots that spanned a few episodes and sometimes employeed flashbacks to advance the narrative. The initial episodes of the first season portrayed the trials and tribulations of a joint family and often touched an emotional cord. Subsequently, particularly in the second season, the focus shifted towards situational comedy as the characters started fitting themselves into their eccentricities.
Several new characters are introduced during the course of the television series, enriching the ensemble. With the film adaptation in 2010, the franchise took a new direction and dropped-off most of the recurring characters from the television series, focusing mainly on the principal ones.
The series introduces the Parekhs as an eccentricGujaratijoint family living in an old mansion inMumbai.
The first season focuses on the idiosyncratic members of the family, led by the elderly Tulsidas Parekh who does not permit his family members to sell off their house and separate intonuclear families. Later, the Parekhs move into a much larger house left behind by a deceased aunt of Tulsidas. In the last episode, Parekhs become overnight millionaires when they discover oil in their older property.
The second season focused on the Parekhs as they try to settle themselves into higher society with their new-found wealth (in the first season).They live on in their own eccentric way, trying to ace the lives of the super-rich.
The third season presents a rebooted story-line, as Parekhs gets stuck after the builder escapes in between the construction of their apartment and some people threaten them to kill until they do not return the money taken in exchange of apartments.
A film based on the series, titledKhichdi: The Movie, was released on 1 October 2010 starring most of the same principal cast. In the film, Parekhs deal with the murder mystery of their neighbor Chakku Singh.
In the sequel, the Parekhs are sent on a covert operation to a country called "Paanthukistan" to abduct the tyrannical king and free an Indian nuclear scientist held captive to construct a weapon of mass destruction.
The first season consistently ranked among the top family-oriented shows on Star Plus till its last episode in July 2004.
The 2010 film initially performed below expectations at theBox Officeand was declared "Below Average" but it ultimately recovered its costs and yielded decent profits.The sequel, released in 2023, received mixed critical response.
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