Critics Review:
There is something instantly comforting about entering the world of Chumbak. Created by Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas “JD” Majethia, the series takes us into a familiar Mumbai neighbourhood where five families live close enough to know everybody’s business, whether they are invited to or not. It is a simple premise, but one that opens the door to a world of gossip, relationships, misunderstandings and everyday absurdity.
And perhaps that is exactly what makes Chumbak work. It does not try to be bigger, darker or smarter than it needs to be. It simply wants to tell little stories about people, their families and the chaos that comes with living too close to one another.
A World That Feels Familiar, Yet Different
The world of Chumbak feels like a warm reunion with a kind of television comedy that has almost disappeared. The characters are quirky, the situations are exaggerated but recognisable, and the humour comes largely from how ordinary people react to extraordinary levels of everyday nonsense.
Yet, despite the familiarity, there is a strange sense of absence. One cannot help but miss Ratna Pathak Shah and Satish Kaushik. Their presence in this kind of universe would have added another layer of familiarity and nostalgia. Chumbak has enough of its own identity to stand independently, but that little emotional comparison is difficult to escape.
The show instead builds its new ensemble around Neena Gupta, Deven Bhojani, Sumeet Vyas, Manasi Parekh, Sumeet Raghavan, Sandeepa Dhar, Anant Vijay Joshi, Amyra Dastur, Arjun Bijlani, Helly Shah, and Delnaaz Irani. The large cast takes some warming up to, but Season 1 does a good job of establishing their individual quirks and relationships.
Deven Bhojani, Sumeet Raghavan, and Helly Shah Steal The Show
If there is one actor who deserves to be singled out, it is Deven Bhojani. He is simply outstanding as Kuku Merchant. His comic timing, expressions and ability to extract humour from the smallest reactions make him one of the biggest strengths of the show.
Neena Gupta provides the emotional grounding as Rajni, while Sumeet Raghavan brings his own brand of effortless comic timing to Dharmendra. But Helly Shah is another pleasant surprise. Her performance brings a refreshing energy to the ensemble and she manages to turn even the simplest exchanges into something so funny and entertaining.
Anant Vijay Joshi and Delnaaz Irani are equally delightful, showcasing a love-hate relationship between a son, his wife, and his mother. The beauty of the ensemble is that there is always someone capable of taking a seemingly ordinary scene and making it memorable.
Simple Stories, Innocent Absurdity
The storytelling in Chumbak is simple and anecdotal. There is no great mystery to solve or complicated narrative puzzle to crack. Instead, the show thrives on situations that could happen in any neighbourhood, only amplified by the personalities involved.
And this is where Aatish Kapadia’s writing becomes the USP.
The humour is often born from a simple thought, a reaction or an impeccably timed line. At times, a seemingly insignificant observation can make you burst out laughing. The writing does not constantly chase punchlines. It lets the characters create the comedy.
More importantly, Chumbak knows when to stop. It rarely feels like it is trying too hard to be funny. Even when the situations become absurd, there is an innocence to the absurdity. That innocence is perhaps what leaves you with a smile after an episode rather than simply a memory of a joke.
Some sequences do stretch longer than necessary and a few comic situations feel familiar coupled with uneven pacing or the humour being somewhat old-school. But the show’s warmth usually manages to pull it back.
The Kind of Show You Watch With Family
In a streaming landscape dominated by thrillers, crime dramas and increasingly complicated stories, Chumbak feels almost refreshingly uncomplicated. It is about people. Their relationships. Their eccentricities. Their neighbours. Their families. Their everyday lives.
It may not reinvent the sitcom, and perhaps it does not need to. Its greatest strength is that it understands the comfort of familiarity without completely losing its own personality.
With Season 2 coming soon, Chumbak feels like the kind of show made for a family binge. It is like a warm hug from the childhood of most millennials. You can watch it together, laugh at different characters for different reasons and simply enjoy being in this slightly chaotic, slightly absurd but genuinely warm neighbourhood.
Final Verdict
Chumbak may not always deliver a laugh-out-loud moment, but its consistent warmth, strong ensemble and especially its writing make it difficult to dislike. For bringing back an innocent, character-driven form of comedy without going overboard.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
By: Anushka Singhal
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