Popular sitcoms from the early 2000s normalise upper-caste Hindu identity as the cultural default, feeding into contemporary Hindutva-aligned victimhood discourses in Indian media and politics.
Author
Prerna Subramanian, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Summary
Popular Gujarati sitcoms like “Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah” and “Sarabhai vs Sarabhai” may have promoted Hindutva ideology, normalizing the Gujarati Hindu family as India’s archetype. These shows’ portrayal of affluent families as harmless and benign might have contributed to the current political climate, where certain groups are disadvantaged.
The shows’ “innocence” is punctuated by subtle legitimations of Hindutva symbols and marginalization of minority groups. For instance, “Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah” depicts a utopia of communal harmony, yet its Hindu core is unmistakable. This normalization has implications for what is considered acceptable humor and critique in India.
Published in: Economic and Political Weekly
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