BOTTOM LINE
An Old-Fashioned Yet Neat Father-Son Drama
PLATFORM
ZEE5
RUNTIME
180 Mins (6 episodes, approx)
What Is the Show About?
Guppi, a 16-year-old in Punjab, dreams of becoming a footballer. However, his father Harminder, a bank employee by profession, pressures him to continue the family’s devotional music legacy, against his wishes. Meanwhile, Guppi’s stammer worsens the tension at home. The story centres on the conflict between Harminder’s expectations for his son and Guppi’s own aspirations for his future.
Performances
Given that the pivotal roles are reasonably well-defined, the performances are neat and without major hiccups. Suvinder Vicky has a steely screen presence playing the typical rigid, authoritarian patriarch of a Punjabi household, though the tone of the portrayal is not always in sync with the times.
It is Mihir Ahuja’s teenage angst that stays with you longer, while Maahi Raj Jain brings the much-needed liveliness to the setting. Taranjiit Kaur lends emotional strength to the story and is apt for her part. The supporting cast – comprising Kavya Pandit, Tejas Mathur, Yash Sehgal among others – complements the leads effectively.
Analysis
Shabad: Reet aur Riwaaz is a perfect example of why you do not need to reinvent the wheel to tell a relevant story. The show taps into the ever-existing conflict across generations: a stubborn father pressuring a son to uphold a family legacy, a free-spirited son desperate to break free from the shackles of tradition, and a mother sandwiched between them.
What lends Shabad a new lease of life is its rooted Punjabi setting. Harminder is positioned as a torchbearer of the ragi singing tradition at the Gurudwara, yet he experiences friction both at home and at work. Denied a promotion at the bank, he is forced to report to a much younger colleague. His son, Guppi, whom Harminder envisions as the inheritor of his musical legacy, is instead chasing football dreams.
Guppi views his father as a rigid figure who refuses to budge and remains insensitive to his needs; his love for the sport is met with cold apathy. The father dumps the collective weight of his professional and religious insecurities onto his son, a burden Guppi struggles to shoulder. Meanwhile at school, his place on the football team is jeopardised by bullies who ridicule his vulnerabilities.
While his sister Ginni and mother Manjot serve as his only sources of support, the core issue remains a total void of communication. The father is lost in his world and the son is consumed by rage. Ultimately, the show springs a surprise by not forcing Guppi to choose between two worlds. It functions instead as an earnest call for compassion, believing that if empathy is found, the rest will follow suit.
The narrative also suggests that Guppi does not need to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders or navigate his path entirely alone. This is illustrated beautifully through a terrific scene at the Gurudwara and a poignant follow-up sequence at the football ground. The freshness of the setting performs much of the heavy lifting, carrying the message effectively even when the treatment feels slightly old-fashioned.
The sequences involving Harminder’s newly appointed superior at the bank are a little too provocative, designed only to amplify the drama. This character is needlessly reduced to a cold, ruthless figure who deserves to be hated, almost forcing a ‘young versus middle-aged’ conflict. The repetitive ‘senior citizens’ taunts dampen the impact. Furthermore, the scene where he humiliates Guppi’s stammer and singing abilities on his birthday is in poor taste.
The spiritual side of the story, especially through the words of religious heads at the Gurudwara, provides a healing touch to the conflict and helps Harminder become a more empathetic person. The happy-go-lucky scenes among Guppi, Ginni, their friends, and the tender romances offer relief amidst the domestic and professional tensions.
Shabad: Reet aur Riwaaz makes for decent viewing on OTT. It is a welcome break from outlandish, dark crime sagas and dysfunctional relationships that have taken centre-stage in the digital medium, telling a story that is quite universal and relatable.
Music and Other Departments?
Nirmal Pandya and Tusshar Mallick’s background score lacks edginess, which is one of the reasons why the show does not feel as contemporary as it should. The cinematography, by Satish Shetty and Rajiv Singh, is merely functional, serving the purpose without any standout factor. The story takes time to find its footing and for the drama to gather momentum, especially in the initial episodes, but it keeps you invested thereafter. The crisp episode runtime, around 25–30 minutes, is an advantage.
Highlights?
Father-son drama
Gurudwara setting
Neat performances
Drawbacks?
Old-fashioned treatment
Technically weak
Convenient characterisation
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, generally
Will You Recommend It?
If father-son/family dramas are your thing, give it a try
Shabad: Reet Aur Riwaaz Series Review by M9 News
