Bhalla Calling Bhalla, a digital show shot entirely online, narrates a relatable tale of a family separated by the lockdownComic relief in tough times

Sheetal

If the situation is new, so is the experience. But hats off to the artistes who manage to stage a show even then! Bhalla Calling Bhalla, released on May 20, is a digital show like any other, but the only difference is that it has been shot entirely online.

With members of Bhalla family stuck in different parts of the country due to the lockdown and Mr Bhalla (played by Rajesh Kumar) being in Chandigarh, it sure seems a relatable tale. Says Rajesh Kumar, who plays Mr Bhalla, “We had fun filming in this never-seen-before situation. We were all ready to experiment.”

With a smile

Coming up with a 12-episode show, written, shot, edited and presented to the audience during a lockdown is no mean feat. There was no set, no actors met each other! The special series was shot from the safety of the actors’ homes, with each episode being of seven-to-eight minutes’ duration. Apart from Rajesh, the show stars Lubna Salim as Mrs Lovely Bhalla, Leenesh Matoo as Sahil Bhalla (son), Gracy Goswami as Lisa aka Arundhati Bhalla (daughter) and Gaurav Gera as Gaurav Singh (Mrs Bhalla’s brother). The show premiered on May 20 exclusively on ZEE5 and is being appreciated widely.

Personal note

Nowadays, Rajesh’s meditation time has gone up from 15 minutes to two hours. He says, “I always had the ability to calm myself, not move an inch and meditate, but I have taken it a notch higher this time.”