Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 3, 2020)

Shekhar Suman’s social media feed is inundated with posts from his followers about the return of the iconic comedy Dekh Bhai Dekh (DBD) — a comedy show that captures the lives of the three generations of Mumbai-based Dewan family who live together under one roof — on Doordarshan. In a move to keep audiences entertained during the lockdown, the channel has been airing old TV shows which were popular and are still remembered by viewers.

Thrilled that his superhit sitcom DBD is airing again, Suman says, “I am happy that a family entertainer will be watched by youngsters. They will realise the joy of living together in a joint family. We need the spirit of being together with our loved ones in tough times like these.”

He reminisces that the show was a huge hit from day one. “Doing TV wasn’t the plan but DBD resurrected my career. I debuted with Utsav (1984) and had a few hit films but then my career dipped badly. I got B-grade film offers so I didn’t take them on and waited at home for two years. I was at my all-time career low. So, when I was approached for DBD in 1993, I was skeptical,” he shares.

During this lockdown, Suman is catching up with life and “being reintroduced” to himself. He feels in the fast pace of life, one forgets who we are. “It’s ironic that most people dream of owning a big house but how many of us stay at home to enjoy it? Circumstances have now forced us to stay at home. This is the time to catch up with life, learn more about yourself and appreciate what you have. This virus is nature’s way of teaching us a lesson. It has taught us to slow down. The pandemic has ambushed us and we have to fight it out,” he says.