When Tiku Talsania revealed how he got 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi'
Mumbai, July 1
Veteran actor Tiku Talsania revealed how he got his first television show, 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi', kickstarting his journey in the entertainment industry.
Appearing on 'The Kapil Sharma Show', Tiku Talsania shared that he used to do theatre and once the director of 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi', Kundan Shah, had come to see one of his plays.
After seeing the play, he told Tiku Talsania, "There is a small role, will you do it?", to which he agreed very happily.
When he reached for the shoot, he was asked to repeat the same line, "Ye kya ho rha hain" whenever he felt needed.
Later on, that single line became a trademark for Tiku Talsania.
The sitcom that aired on DD National back in 1984 revolved around a happily married couple, Ranjit Verma and Renu Verma and Renu's unmarried and unemployed younger brother Raja, who lives with them.
The core cast of the drama included Shafi Inamdar as Ranjit Verma, Swaroop Sampat as Renu Verma, Rakesh Bedi as Raja, Satish Shah as different character in each episode, and Sulbha Arya as Mandira Bhattacharya, their Bengali neighbour.
Tiku Talsania was seen as Raghuwan Kailash Gupta a.k.a. R.K. Gupta, Ranjit's boss and later Raja's father-in-law.
Written by Sharad Joshi, 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi' has been directed by Kundan Shah, S. S. Oberoi, and Raman Kumar.
After 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi', Tiku Talsania became a part of many popular TV shows of the 80s and 90s, such as 'Fikr Ne Kaha', 'Yeh Duniyan Gazab Ki', 'Zamana Badal Gaya', and 'Ek Se Badkar Ek'.
Coming to films, he made his Bollywood debut with Rajeev Mehra's 'Pyaar Ke Do Pal' in 1986. His filmography also includes 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin', 'Umar 55 Ki Dil Bachpan Ka', 'Bol Radha Bol', 'Andaz Apna Apna' and 'Mr. Bechara'.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who moved to India recently, it's fascinating to learn about this classic show. The simplicity of the set-up and the way a single line became a trademark really shows how creative writing could shine without fancy budgets. Respect to Mr. Talsania!
What a journey! From theatre to television, and that one line becoming his identity. I feel sad that shows like these are not made anymore. Today's comedies rely too much on loud laughter tracks and slapstick. 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi' was classy humour.
Heartwarming story! It's amazing how a small role turned into a career-defining moment. Tiku Talsania's work in 'Andaz Apna Apna' was brilliant too. The article captures the essence of how the Indian entertainment industry worked back then - pure talent.
I wish the article had mentioned more about the cast. Shafi Inamdar and Swaroop Sampat were such a lovely pair! And Rakesh Bedi's Raja character was hilarious. Tiku ji's story is inspiring though - shows how persistence and a positive attitude pay off. 😊
Good to see the legacy of 'Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi' being remembered. But honestly, I feel the article could have provided more details about Kundan Shah's vision for the show. He was a brilliant director (remember 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron'?). Still, nice to read about Tiku ji's journey.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.