Thode Door Thode Paas review: Clever digital detox tale is a quick, charming watch, powered by a strong and relatable cast

Thode Door Thode Paas review: Breezy, relatable sitcom works due to its charming cast (Pankaj Kapur, Mona Singh) and feel-good reminder that family connection beats Wi-Fi.

Thode Door Thode Paas

Thode Door Thode Paas

Thode Door Thode Paas story:

Despite sharing a home, the contemporary Mehta family members in Thode Door Thode Paas feel emotionally distanced from one another due to their reliance on electronic devices. To heal these broken ties, the family patriarch, Ashwin Mehta (Pankaj Kapur), suggests a daring challenge: a total digital detox for the whole family for six months. He uses a strong incentive: a hefty cash reward of Rs. 1 crore for each family member who manages to finish the device-free period. The story follows the mayhem, comedy, and touching moments that ensue as the family tries to adjust to a world without their electronic devices. Their forced interaction makes them face their problems head-on, learn to communicate authentically again, and restore the emotional connections strained in this digitally distracted era.

Thode Door Thode Paas review:

Today, even for simple math problems, we often resort to using our phones. There was a time when counting fingers was enough to find the solution to addition problems, and we all had that patience. Furthermore, kids learnt to tell time when they were four or five so they could watch their favourite cartoons. As 90s kids, we experienced those days in our childhood, and now we laugh and cherish those memories as we reflect on them. However, as time has progressed, we've learnt to evolve and adapt to every new technology that comes our way.

Thus, going back to a primitive era seems next to impossible. We might consider staying away from our phones and tablets for a few days as a detox. But can we survive by giving away TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, mixers, and other appliances? Such an undertaking is definitely not feasible in today's world! Thode Door Thode Paas follows the journey of a family that lives without modern appliances for six whole months, and for what purpose? The reward for their efforts is an impressive Rs. 1 crore. We often say in passing that we wouldn't do certain things even if offered a crore. But when someone actually accepts the offer, you reconsider saying no, and you might even agree to it.

ALSO READ: Thode Door Thode Paas trailer: Pankaj Kapur forces Mona Singh and Kunaal Roy Kapur into a digital detox, throwing the family into chaos

Thode Door Thode Paas quickly establishes its intent and doesn't overstay its welcome by stretching out the expected plot points. To be honest, many modern miniseries typically consist of five to six episodes, with each one lasting nearly an hour, meaning you end up investing a significant amount of time to binge-watch them. However, Thode Door Thode Paas is totally in the sitcom groove, centring its story entirely on the pros and cons of digital fasting.

The Mehta family consists of Ashwin Mehta (Pankaj Kapur), a retired naval officer who wants to live life to the fullest and travel the world but who also wants to be around for his family. The family includes his elder son Kunal (Kunaal Roy Kapur), a numerologist; daughter-in-law Simran (Mona Singh), a fashion designer; granddaughter Avni (Ayesha Kaduskar), a college student; grandson Vivaan (Sartaaj Kakkar), who is in school; and younger son Kumud (Gurpreet Saini).

Everyone is so dependent on technology that they even rely on their phones to communicate with each other. To get their food down, they need something to binge-watch or play games. Every time Ashwin, a widower, visits his family, he observes a noticeable distance between them, which he believes is primarily due to technology. While phones have connected us to the world, they have also distanced us from those who are physically nearby. In no time, Ashwin Mehta plays his trick by proposing digital fasting to his family, which everyone eventually agrees to.

It's fascinating to see the family members have withdrawal symptoms and how their home becomes like a rehab centre, where they have to de-addict themselves from technology.

The slice-of-life genre is perfectly maintained throughout the series, so it doesn't ask you to overthink what happens next. The show, which spans six months, embraces each day as it unfolds and anticipates viewers to do the same, without needing much validation. It's not that there are many moments or sequences that stand out or might stay with you. Thode Door Thode Paas doesn't put much effort into doing any of these. However, what makes it work is probably the casting. The faces are so relatable, especially those of the senior members of the family, that you might believe they must be going through this experience.

However, the flaws are also obvious, and even if you try to overlook them, the scenes are passable but not without leaving you chuckling. In one sequence, Kapur narrates his backstory to his grandchildren about his love story with his late wife, Mallika (Sanjeeta Bhattacharya). In the flashback, she appears as a young woman, and I was curious to see who would portray a younger version of Kapur. But I just had a palm-face moment when I saw the veteran actor himself enter the picture and be shown as an old man while his lover was a young woman. It was a bizarre moment, and I am unsure whether it was intentional or if they simply couldn't find anyone to portray Kapur's younger version, even for a single sequence. Such a sequence was, to be honest, a major and glaring hiccup in the series.

Shiirshak S. Anand, who is known for directing thrillers like Table No. 21 has taken a steep diversion and brought this lighter family drama. Ajay Bhuyan directs the series, successfully experimenting with this breezy genre.

Coming to performances, it's delightful to watch Pankaj Kapur in this role as a patriarch who is soft-hearted with a tougher exterior. Complementing him is the presence of the family members, and each of them, especially Mona Singh and Kunaal Roy Kapur, brings those lighter and relatable moments that keep the series going. Meanwhile, the younger ones, played by Ayesha Kaduskar and Sartaaj Kakkar, have a few heavier moments, and having seen their calibre in previous works, it doesn't come as a surprise that they perform beautifully.

Ultimately, Thode Door Thode Paas proves that even in the age of digital dependence, all it takes is a clever patriarch and a massive financial incentive to bring a family a little 'Thode Paas' (a little closer) once again.

Thode Door Thode Paas verdict:

Thode Door Thode Paas cleverly uses the lure of a crore to sever the digital cord. While the plot has a few glitches and its depth is a little screen-shallow, the relatable cast and breezy pace make it easy to connect with. It's a charming, signal-strong reminder that sometimes, the best connection is not Wi-Fi, but family. Log off your worries and log in for a quick, feel-good watch.

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