Khabardaar

* Title Card
* Screenshot

***Khabardaar*** (Hindi: ख़बरदार, *Xabardār*[?]; English: Beware) is the first episode of *Taaza Khabar*.

## Summary

Vasya's slum-dog life is an uphill struggle. His only respite, and lady love, is Madhu, a sex worker. One day, his kindness gets rewarded when he receives an old lady's blessings.

## Plot

Vasant Gawde is a slum-dweller in Mumbai who works as a cashier at a public toilet. On a day at his work, he dreams of himself as a rich person who arrives at the slum with his expensive car, and throws money at people.

Though, he is woken up by a local resident who informs him that his family is under unrest. Mr. Billimoria, whose residence Vasya's mother works at as a household assistant, has caught her stealing ₹2,000, and Vasya's abusive father is beating her. Vasya's mother explains that she just wanted to buy Vasya something on his birthday, and was planning to return the money from her monthly salary. Vasya intercepts the fight and pays Billimoria ₹2,000 from his own salary, taking his mother back home. He promises her that he will be the owner of Billimoria's residence one day, and that she will be the queen of the house.

Later, Vasant goes to meet his lover Madhu at a brothel, with some sweet corn. However, on the arrival of Mr. Shetty, he is forced to leave the compound. Mr. Shetty pays Vasant some money and has sex with Madhu. Back at the toilet, Vasant discovers that an old woman has fallen unconscious in her stall. Vasant hesitantly picks her up and cleans her hands of the feces, accidentally damaging his smartphone in the process. The woman gives him a bangle and blesses him with the ability to be aware about things before they even happen.

The old lady mysteriously disappears as Vasant leaves the scene and is attacked by two robbers. The robbers steal all the money he had received from the manager of the brothel, and leave a deep wound on his face using the bangle he had received from the woman. That night, the "ख़बरदार" ("Khabardaar") app on his phone updates. The next day, his mother gifts him a shirt she had sewn from her own *sarees*. She is shocked to see the wounds, but Vasant convinces her that he will be off to the doctor's.

Vasant receives the news on his phone that a new bridge at Sodawala has collapsed, and that it has rained in Mumbai, although neither of these had happened. His friend takes him to the inauguration of the Sodawala bridge, which collapses at exactly 2:30 PM, and it rains.

## Characters

* Vasant Gawde
* Alpana Gawde
* Ashok Gawde
* Kersi Billimoria
* Peter
* Mehboob
* Aapa
* Madhu
* Shetty

## Trivia

* During Vasant and Peter's first meeting in the season, Peter says that the new "bastards" in town are jeopardising Mehboob's bakery business, referring to American bakery chain Baskin-Robbins and their signature cheesecakes.
	+ The same joke is also used in the *Vines* episode *Itni Thand English Jhand*.
* This is the only episode where Billimoria's Maruti Suzuki 800 SB308 is seen.
* The old woman who blesses Vasant with the ability to see the future was initially thought to be portrayed by Indian singer Ranu Mondal by fans. However, it was soon fact-checked and revealed to be actor Vibha Rani.

## External links

* Disney+ Hotstar
* IMDb

## References

1. ↑ Megha Chaudhary (6 January 2023). Taaza Khabar: भुवन बाम के साथ रानू मंडल ने किया ‘ताजा खबर’ से ओटीटी डेब्यू? जानें वायरल वीडियो की सच्चाई. *Amar Ujala*.
2. ↑ Ujjwal Samrat (7 January 2023). Taaza Khabar Fact Check: Did Ranu Mondal make her OTT debut in Bhuvan Bam's Web Series?. *Scoop*.