Would be the happiest to see 'Flop Show' back on TV: Savita Bhatti

With Doordarshan turning to its late 1980s library and bringing back famous serials "Ramayan", "Mahabharat" and "Shaktimaan" amid coronavirus lockdown, veteran actor-producer Savita Bhatti says she would love to see "Flop Show", beloved satirical sitcom, return to small screen as well.

After national brocaster anunced re-runs of its iconic old shows, many on social media urged brocaster to bring back serial, created and directed by Savita Bhatti's co-star and late husband, satirist Jaspal Bhatti. "Flop Show", which aired in 1989 on DD National, was a simple yet tongue-in-cheek commentary about problems faced by common people.

"I watch show on YouTube sometimes to see Jaspal ji alive. I come across comments from people who have watched show recently. I feel happy that re are so many of m in current generation who don't kw about him and still kw kind of vision he h, which stands unparalleled still today. I would really be happiest to see 'Flop Show' on TV again," Savita Bhatti told PTI in an interview.

"On a personal level, I would love to see a younger, prettier version of myself again. It is so close to my heart and something that is a part of my identity. I'm truly privileged to have been a part of show," actor, who played Jaspal Bhatti's wife in weekly serial, ded. Jaspal Bhatti died in a car accident on October 25, 2012.

Savita Bhatti said while her husband was alive, he tried to get rights to ir show from brocaster without success. "We have royalty on this. rights were with Doordarshan. When Jaspal ji was alive, he tried a lot to obtain rights from network. But surprisingly y didn't encour it at at all. We found out that y h sold it to Eagle Films Pvt Ltd. If y h to give rights away, y should have at least kept him in loop. w, I don't kw wher it is still valid."

Savita Bhatti said popular demand of serial even after three deces is a reflection that "Flop Show" has stood test of time. "A lot depends on kind of person show's creator is. Jaspal ji was one of very few humorists who could make fun of himself. se days you see comics poke fun at or people. That was case even in his or show 'Ulta Pulta' and film 'Mahaul ek Hai'. 

"That's a very big lesson that if you're criticising a system, you're also part of it. Just because I'm talking about it doesn't mean I am on a pedestal and I can say anything I want. I'm also responsible for corruption, I am also 100 per cent guilty if somebody else is so," she said. actor rued about comedy scene in country, which is more about masquerers. 

" kind of humour you see se days is degring. You are making fun of people's body s and appearances or you're dressing up as women. You are behaving like masquerers. "People remember 'Flop Show' fondly because it h a simplicity, and truth. vision was truthful... he was t cultivating it for a platform. re were trappings of an im or what's trend. He used to be more worried about content," she said.

Asked why re were only a few people attempting satires today, Savita Bhatti said times have changed and people tend to take offence easily. "I believe writers and comics are intelligent. y probably don't want to go into those areas, re are some like Kunal Kamra and Varun Grover who still do it. It has also become about catering to a select audience. But Jaspal ji was able to cut through all boundaries -- , time, class, region, etc. From an eight-year-old child to an 80-year-old person, everyone could understand what he was trying to say," she said. 

"People came to meet us when he passed away saying whenever y were unsure about any issue, political or orwise, y would wait for Jaspal ji to explain it through his nsense Club, which he used to hold in Chandigarh Sector 17. Jaspal ji h a social conscience. I feel humorists are hiding somewhere because times are different. Anyone and everyone takes offence at drop of a hat." re are several memories related to "Flop Show" but what she remembers most is how a group of greenhorns went on to become a family and create one of best shows in history of Indian television.

team -- which h fellow comics late Vivek Shauq and Rajesh Jolly and a rotating cast -- faced a lot of problems.

"Except Jaspal ji and Vivek, most of us were amateurs in production. One has to give him credit that he didn't shoot in Delhi or Bombay. We faced technical difficulties, some times camera would break and everyone h to wait for days for somebody to go and get a replacement from Delhi. Things were often out of control and he was also finding a style. He was a perfectionist, so sometimes shoot would go on for two-four days."

Most of shoots were held at Savita Bhatti's in-laws' house in Ropar, where y wrote scripts by hand, which she still has. "As we were untrained, re were lots of rehearsals. entire team would sit in a circle with tea and samosas or kachoris, and some sweet. It was about being part of something that unites us. whole experience was very enjoyable. Jaspal ji encourd everyone to pursue art. Everyone in this serial became famous in ir own way," she ded.

Savita Bhatti still remembers how Jaspal Bhatti bought dinner for team just before first episode of "Flop Show" was about to air at 9 pm. "All of us sat in front of TV. When show started, everyone screamed and yelled. n every Friday, he would take a round of Chandigarh around 8.45 pm to check how many people were on ro inste of watching show."

title of show, along with its opening sequence true to its essence, h a deeper meaning. "Once a journalist asked him, why was it called 'Flop Show'. To this, Jaspal ji replied, 'For a common man, ir life is a flop show'. It was a revelation even for me," she ded.