Bakaiti, the upcoming ZEE5 original set to premiere on August 1, 2025, brings the warmth of middle-class family life back to OTT screens. The series is set in old Ghaziabad and centers on the Kataria family as they navigate financial challenges. To cope, they rent out a portion of their house, creating new tensions. Bharat, the younger son, must now share a room with his elder sister Naina, leading to constant sibling squabbles.
Meanwhile, their parents, Sanjay and Sushma, quietly struggle with the emotional weight of possibly giving up their ancestral home. Bakaiti has already drawn early comparisons to Gullak, the Sony Liv series by TVF that became a benchmark in slice-of-life Indian storytelling. Both shows explore small-town family life, filled with quiet conflict, nostalgia, and everyday beauty. But where Gullak leaned into gentle humor, Bakaiti looks to heighten tension through plot-driven conflicts like the home rental.
Veteran actors Rajesh Tailang and Sheeba Chadha play the parents with a grounded depth that echoes the calm strength of Gullak’s Jameel Khan and Geetanjali Kulkarni. The sibling dynamic between Bharat and Naina also mirrors the relatable banter of Annu and Aman from Gullak. These familiar family dynamics may help Bakaiti strike a chord with Indian audiences who enjoy realistic and heartfelt storytelling.
Other successful shows like Yeh Meri Family and TVF’s Home have proven that emotional honesty and small moments resonate with viewers. Bakaiti appears to follow in those footsteps, aiming to blend humor, drama, and relatability. If it maintains consistent tone and strong writing, it has every chance of becoming India’s next comfort show on streaming platforms. It may not reinvent the genre, but sometimes, heartfelt simplicity is all it takes to connect deeply.
