Laughter in a shopping mall

Have you ever seen a sitcom on Indian television that’s set in a huge

shopping mall, is not plot-driven and revolves around 13 characters and the kind of relationships they share with each other. If your answer is no then get ready to see one now. It is called Cincinnati Bubalaboo which goes on air on Star Plus from May 19(Friday, 8 pm). Produced by Rajiv Tandon, this "mad" character-cum-gag driven comedy is directed by comedy specialist Anant Mahadevan.

The whole idea was to attempt something different and grand by coming out of the drawing room format comedy. The shopping mall set has cost a huge amount. I have spent much more than one can imagine as the whole idea behind setting up an expensive set is to prove that television can also have lots of gloss and grandeur -- Rajiv Tandon

When Rajiv Tandon whose Heena on Sony and Professor Pyarelal on Zee are going great, decided to target Star Plus with a show, he came up with an idea of an "upmarket" sitcom based in a shopping arcade. "The whole idea was to attempt something different and grand by coming out of the drawing room format comedy," says Rajiv who first sold the concept to Star Plus before constructing a permanent set at Kamal Amrohi Studios. Rajiv says the shopping mall set has cost him a "huge amount" but refuses to divulge the figure. "I have spent much more than one can imagine as the whole idea behind setting up an expensive set is to prove that television can also have lots of gloss and grandeur," he reasons. And when it came to deciding on the director, Rajiv’s first choice was Anant Mahadevan because "he is one director who gives lot of time, attention and energy to a project."

Cincinnati Bubalaboo has 13 unusual characters. Here is a small sample. There is Raju Kher who plays the boss on a wheel chair out of choice because he likes to be driven around the arcade by a hot-looking nurse. Rakhi Tandon is the boss’ daughter who has no power but throws her weight around. There is Rahul Bhat who is in love with Smita Bansal but he fakes his love for Rakhi to please the boss. Suresh Menon is a gay in charge of the male section where he gets to shake hands with macho men. Sumukhi Pendse is the bitchy manager of the arcade who is a hot stuff. And Bharat Dabholkar is the cook who can’t cook for nuts. And so the list goes on.

Rakhi Tandon, Rajiv’s better half, who is equally involved in the production says that every character in the sitcom is important because the sitcom is character-driven with two sub-plots which merge into main plot. Cincinnati Bubalaboo, according to director Anant Mahadevan, is different in many ways from the usual sitcoms. "In terms of magnitude and grandeur, nobody has attempted such a comedy so far on Indian television," he claims.

He further says, "It’s simply spectacular. As far as making is concerned it’s been shot in a cinematic way with as many as 350 cuts in a single episode. And it is so pacy that each episode has anywhere between 17 to 20 scenes." He didn’t realise the sheer magnitude of the serial till he started shooting. "I was really stumped. As a director this is one step forward for me. I think we are realising the dream of doing something better," he gushes. Adds Rajiv, "We have done our best and we want God to do the rest." And may we add viewers too?

ALC