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Rakhi is the jackpot behind the success of ‘Pati Patni Aur Who’

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Natasha Sahgal Posted: Oct 12, 2009 at 1128 hrs IST
Rakhi sawantReality drama queen Rakhi Sawant, affianced to Elesh Parujanwala, is the face of this show.
What’s it about? In a nation obsessed with babies, NDTV Imagine could not have placed a safer bet. ‘Pati, Patni Aur Who’, the Indian version of the BBC reality show Baby Borrowers, has five (semi) celebrity couples take on the responsibility of parenthood. Each couple has been given a house and over a course of a month, will be expected to take care of “their child”. Essentially, the couple will go through the experience of parenting as they will be handed over kids, starting with an infant, then toddler, pre-teen, teenager and finally an adult. The “child” —some couples may even be given twins — at each stage will live with the couple for three days wherein the “parents” have to take care of them sans the help of nannies, maids or cooks. The producers have ensured that the real-life parents of the infants and toddlers also remotely monitor their kids so that they can step in if need arises.

Who’s in it? Reality drama queen Rakhi Sawant, affianced to Elesh Parujanwala in NDTV Imagine’s last jackpot Rakhi ka Swayamvar, is the face of this show. Her histrionic skills and the upper class’ disdain for her seem to have made her a fixture on TV shows of this kind. Everyone who hates her gets hooked to the show to watch “how annoying she is”. Odd. The other couples include the just-married TV couple Juhi Parmar and Sachin Shroff, joined-at-the-hip Shilpa Saklani and Apurva Agnihotri, Ram and Sita of Imagine’s Ramayana Debina Bonnerjee and Gurmeet Choudhary, and on again-and-off again couple Mouni Roy and Gaurav Chopra.

What’s hot? Kids are kids and Indian audiences can never have enough of them. Add to that the fact that we’re a country that gives free advice at the smallest pretext. Hence the “experienced” parents and grandparents are especially hooked to the show as they can not only watch these cute kids giggle or make faces but can also monitor how these celebrity couples fare at the job, which can later make for tea-time discussions. But our inherent voyeurism is the real reason to watch the show —to see these couples squabble over minor things, to wait for that one moment when you can say how indifferent or heartless this “parent” is and to speculate over which dating couple will emerge from the show without having broken up.

What’s not? The show ran into legal hurdles even before it began and many people feel it should be stalled. Once the voyeuristic cravings are satiated, one does wonder about the possible impact this show may have had on the child’s psychology, especially the infants and toddlers. These kids, familiar with who their parents are, are handed over to complete strangers for three days. The trauma was apparent when Sawant and Parujanwala’s “child” kept wailing through the first two nights. Similarly, when Shaurya, the kid under Roy and Chopra’s care, suffered an upset stomach, the inexperienced couple was stumped about how to handle the situation till Shaurya’s real-life mother stepped in to advise the couple.

Should you be watching it? If you’re a reality-show addict, you may find yourself torn between Bigg Boss season 3 on Colors and Pati, Patni Aur Woh. But if you take a friend’s advice: “It’s like watching Wanted—full paisa vasool”.

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pati patni aur woh by saima and friends on 2009-11-20 17:08:25.141408+05:30 the best couple to handle all the children well is of course Elesh and Rakhi, in spite of initial hicups. Rakhi is very luck to get Elesh as a husband. Ofcourse there are many beautiful, slim, fair and well educated Gujarathi girls in line to snatch him. Rakhi should qucikly learn english and some good manners and see that her man remains with her only. Also she should be truthful about her real age and see that she does not have any communicatiaon gap with Elesh. Sachin is a real scape goat, Juhi is not at all sutiable for him. Her laziness, pretending to be sick, the way she talks to Sachin so rudley, and above all her dominating nature, is disgusting. Debina and Gurmeet are carrying their tv image too far. The way she shouts and talks and making Gurmeet to clean the vessels and cleaning the room does not go with 'Sita' image. Gurmeet should not make hasty decisions regarding his future life with Debina. He should give more time and get to know her better. TV life is totally different from real life. No comments on Gaurav and his present lady love. Apurva and shilpa should seriously think about enlarging their family. Shipa should stop behaving like a child and concentrate on her family, and treat Apurva with a little more respect and love. no hard feelings please. many thanks

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artifical concept by kritika on 2009-10-13 00:17:51.2828+05:30 I don't think I have the time to watch such a artificial show.The channel is greedy for TRP and celebs are greedy for fame and money.I think NDTV IMAGINE DOES NOT HAVE ANY QUALITY SHOW LEFT.THEY TOTALLY RELY ON RAKHI/RAHUL nautanki.Initially they created a joke about marriage which they are now going to repeat again with Mr. Rahul.AT present they are creating the joke of parenthood.DISGUSTING.REMEMBER NDTV IMAGINE KAHIN AISA NA HO EK DIN AAP HI EK JOKE BANKE RAHE JAO.

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