Gram Chikitsalaya: Amol Parashar's show is a healing touch, diagnosing deeper truth
It might have been set in a fictional village, where a 'jhola chaap' doctor is respected and loved more than a professional one with a degree, but the challenges it features are not fictional at all. The show also makes a subtle commentary on the state of mental health in India, especially among people in the villages.advertisementDr Prabhat Sinha (Parashar) has left his comfortable, well-paying city job to serve a village. The challenges that he encounters are eye-opening. How do you convince someone to seek medical help when they aren't aware of their suffering? The helplessness of Dr Sinha and his challenges seem too painfully real to an urban audience. From setting up a clean clinic, to persuading villagers to prioritise their health, Dr Sinha's journey is like solving a puzzle only he seems to have recognised. Upon looking closer, you'd find similarities between 'Gram Chikitsalaya' and one of the most celebrated shows in the Indian OTT scene - 'Panchayat'. Perhaps the intention also looks the same. However, the conflict here is entirely different, and probably more relatable. You see, this is a show that delves deep into the psyche of people whose lives are about sheer survival. They are so accustomed to living on a one-day-more model that they are incapable of recognising the kind of help that could make their lives easier, or even better.The heart of 'Gram Chikitsalaya' lies in its simplicity. The situational comedy in the show is impressive. The storytelling is such that you are not asked to read between the lines - it shows things exactly as they are. And perhaps that's also what makes it so powerful. The series reflects the unfiltered reality of the part of India that's long been overlooked, left to survive on its own.advertisement'Gram Chikitsalaya' represents the truth. It is more than a heartwarming show. It makes you think. In a world chasing spectacle, it is probably a soft knock on the door - a reminder that healing isn't always heroic, and change doesn't always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes, it walks into a forgotten village wearing dusty shoes and a tired smile.The show is currently running on Prime Video.
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India.com
30 minutes ago
- India.com
Salakaar actor Naveen Kasturia opens up about choosing acting over engineering as career, ‘Mujhe humesha se…'
Naveen Kasturia, who plays a pivotal role in the gripping series Salakaar, is not a typical Bollywood hero. An engineer by education, Naveen left behind a stable career path to chase his dream of acting, a decision that came with struggles, uncertainty, and years of perseverance. Known for his raw, relatable performances in shows like TVF Pitchers, Aspirants and Sapne VS Everyone, Naveen gradually became a favorite among OTT audiences. How did Naveen Kasturia decide to pursue acting over engineering? During a conversation with when Naveen was asked about why he decided to pursue acting as a profession, after being successful engineer, Naveen mentioned that he always wanted to do something to showcase his immense love for cinema. He said, 'Mere time par do hi raaste hote the, ya toh engineer, ya toh medical, toh jo engineering karte the wo engineer ban jate the, jo doctory ki padhai karte the wo doctor ban jate the. School, college mein filmon se inspire hokar plays mein part leta rehta tha, but ye path aapko pata nahi hota ki aapko isme kaise jana hai toh aap uske liye convetional raasta hi follow karte ho aur tabhi maine engineering kari aur uske baad maine job bhi ki, job ke waqt main Uttar Pradesh mein tha 2007 mein and jab aap job kar rahe ho aap thoda paisa kamaa rahe ho tab aap sochna shuru karte ho ki kya mujhe jeevan bhar yahi karna hai, aur tab aap khud decisions lena shuru karte ho, kyunki uske pehle jo decisions ya options apke saamne hote hain tab aap wo nahi karte ho, toh main ye nahi kahunga ki ye mera achanak se liya hua decision tha aur ye bhi nahi keh sakta ki main ise bahut waqt se plan kar raha tha.' (In my time, there were only two paths, either engineering or medical, so those who did engineering became engineers and those who studied medicine became doctors. In school and college, I used to get inspired by films and take parts in plays, but you do not know the path that how to learn in this, so you follow the conventional path for that and that is when I did engineering and after that I also did a job, during my job I was in Uttar Pradesh in 2007 and when you are doing the job and earning some money, then you start thinking whether I want to do this all my life, and then you start taking decisions on your own, because before that whatever decisions or options are in front of you, then you do not take them, then I will not say that this It was a sudden decision of mine and I cannot even say that I was planning it for a long time.) How did Naveen Kasturia's fascination for cinema become his sole purpose? Naveen further continued and said, 'Gradually, jaisa mera mind mujhe karne ko keh raha tha, main waise hi koshish kar raha tha, kyunki job main bas sirf paise kamaane ke liye nahin kar sakta, kyunki kaam mein maza aana zaruri hai toh is par main sochta tha ki mujhe kis kaam mein maza aata hai aur mujhe humesha se filmein fascinate karti thi, toh uske liye Delhi se Mumbai aana ek difficult step tha, acting ka sochkar nahin aaya tha main, field explore karna chahta tha jismein ki maza aaye, ab life time aap koi kaam kare jisme aapko maza aaye toh life zyada aasaan ho jati hai, paise ko tab main utna mahtva nahi deta tha dimaag mein aur shayad down to earth tha toh paisa wageraah aage ban jayega, aisa sochta tha main aur I think mera jo belief tha uss waqt wo ekdum correct tha, I'm so happy ki main Mumbai aaya, thoda jo maine himmat dikhayi uss wajah se.' (Gradually, as my mind was telling me to do, I was trying that way, because I cannot do a job just to earn money, because it is important to enjoy the work, so I thought about which work I enjoy and I was always fascinated by films, so coming to Mumbai from Delhi was a difficult step for that, I did not think of acting, I wanted to explore a field in which I enjoy, now do some work in your life which you enjoy, then life becomes easier, then I do not give that much importance to money It was in my mind and maybe I was down to earth then I would be able to earn money in the future, I used to think so and I think my belief at that time was absolutely correct, I am so happy that I came to Mumbai, it is because I showed some courage.) What obstacles did Naveen Kasturia encounter when he moved to Mumbai? Naveen further said, 'Phir yahan aane ke baad aapko pool mein phenk diya gaya, jaise swimming pool mein swimming sikhaai jati hai, wo jaise karte hai ki sikhaate hue aapko pool mein phenk dete hain, toh phir jab aap haath pair maarte hai seekhne ke liye, struggle karne ke liye, survive karne ke liye. Toh Mumbai mein toh aapko bhaagna hi padta ai, survival ke liye, lekin 5-6 mahine mein mere paise khatam ho gaye aur phir survive kare ke liye aapko cheezein chahiye thi aur aap apni marzi ka bhi kaam karna chahte ho toh maine wo apne dimaag se nikaal diya, tab main ads bhi kar raha tha aur main bataur assistant director ki tarah bhi kaam kar raha tha, uske sath-sath main TV ke liye kuch writing ka part bhi kar raha tha and then 'Suleimani Keeda' happened, then TVF happened, then Pitchers happened and today, if somebody meets me and asks me ki kya hoga, bahut doubts hai, toh I tell them that there's no formula, har kisi ki alag journey hai yahan par, sab alag-alag raaston se aaye hain, mere according agar aapka intent clear hai toh phir aap usi direction mein automatically kaam karte hain toh kahin na kahin, kaise naa kaise raaste apne aap banne lag jate hain. Ab aaj main kisi ko ye nahi bata sakta ki ye show kar lo, ye kar lo, ya kis kism ki cheezein aapko karni chahiye, kyunki ye sab step by step and isme kismat ka bahut bada role hota hai, matlab main ye keh hi nahi sakta ki mere plan ke according kuch miracle nahi tha, maine kuch decisions liye the life mein, but kya main karu ya kya mere sath ho sakta ye apke control mein nahin hota, toh mere decisions ki wajah se cheezein hoti gayi, toh mujhe wahi lagta hai ki maze ke liye aaya tha, job chhodkar and I'm happy that things are happening.' (Then after coming here you were thrown into the pool, just like swimming is taught in a swimming pool, like they do that while teaching they throw you in the pool, so then you beat your hands and feet to learn, to struggle, to survive. So in Mumbai you had to run away to survive, but in 5-6 months my money ran out and then you needed things to survive and you also want to do work of your choice, so I removed that from my mind, at that time I was also doing ads and I was also working as an assistant director, along with that I was also doing some writing for TV and then 'Suleimani Keeda' happened, then TVF happened, then Pitchers happened and today, if somebody meets me and asks me what will happen, he has a lot of doubts, then I tell them that there is no formula, everyone has a different journey. Here everything comes from different ways, according to me if your intent is clear then you automatically work in that direction, and who knows what, somehow you start forming your own path. Now today I cannot tell anyone to show this, do that, or what kind of things you should do, because all this happens step by step and luck plays a very big role in it, meaning I cannot say that no miracle happened according to my plan, I had taken some decisions in life, but what I should do or what could happen to me was not in your control, so if things happened due to my decisions, then I still feel that I had come here for fun, after leaving my job and I am happy that things are happening.)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Chashni and chaos: An ode to the Indian mithai ki dukaan
Hazaaron Khwashein Aisi Ki Har Khwaish Pe Dam Nikle; Bahut Nikle Mere Armaan Lekin Phir Bhi Kam Nikle… – Mirza Ghalib (perhaps, when he could not get his hands on his favourite sohan halwa from Ghantewala) Teej, Rakhi, Janmashtami, each of these festivals has begun to arrive, unabashed and unapologetic. Thus, officially, the great Indian festival season is upon us. During the festive season, every Indian city feels like it has been slow-cooked in desi ghee, garnished with pista, scented with khus-khus, and infused with treacly sweetness. And if you follow your nose through the gullies, you inevitably land up in front of the shrine of all this collective longing: the quintessential Indian sweet shop. The mithai ki dukaan where a rhapsodic symphony of food, craving, and appetite is being whipped up. And lest I have not made myself amply clear: this is not the boutique mithai shop of a five-star hotel, but the kind of sweet shop that exists in every colony and every market. It does not matter what it is called – Aggarwal or Gupta. The name, after all, is just a formality, as the shop is a shape-shifter – the ownership might change, but the items sold remain remarkably the same. Inside, the shop is an olfactory purist's delight (or nightmare, depending on whom you ask). It is a veritable theatre (or assault?) of the senses – stainless steel counters, open trays stacked with rabri or malai-covered melt-in-the-mouth ghevars, and pyramids of choti and badi boondi ke laddoo. There is no line, just a shifting, organic crowd powered by elbows and the ability to holler the loudest. An aunty in a cotton saree, smelling faintly of Pond's talcum powder, has taken the spot you were eyeing – with a look on her face that tells you that she could conquer empires for that last piece of kalakand. Meanwhile, an uncle is explaining to his teenage son the difference between Kaju Katli (unprompted, may I add – it is the oblation of the Gods) and Kaju Roll. The boy nods with the sullen resignation of someone who knows no escape until the box is packed and the invoice settled. A young, newly married couple is tasting samples like it is the cheese bar, nibbling at morsels of barfis, eyes slightly narrowed. There is considerable debate in a hushed tone. The husband prefers 'thoda kam meetha', but the wife rolls her eyes so hard that even Gabbar Singh would be petrified to argue with her. Ultimately, she wins (was there ever any doubt?) and they leave with 1.5 kilos of barfi that neither of them fully agreed upon. Ah, the vagaries of marriage. And then there is that guy, you know, the one on a Bluetooth call, simultaneously placing an order and closing a deal, saying things like, 'Haan bhaiya, teen dabbe aur pack kar do. No, not that. The one with the badam on top. And yes, push the proposal to Monday – Rakhi hai boss'. He is the peak of multitasking masculinity, and you want to both mock and salute him. Behind the counter, the staff is part-human and part-machine. The halwai does not ask what you want because he knows. He has been serving your family since before you could pronounce chamcham, he remembers your brother's engagement order, your grandfather's 70th birthday order, and that time you tried to smuggle away dhodha barfis while coming back from school. He zealously guards the jalebi and imarti trays like they hold state secrets. He packages sweets by slipping in an extra piece if he likes your vibe or looks at you like a concerned elder if you try to buy just 250 grams. And then there is you, caught between nostalgia and neurosis. You are here for a box of gulab jamuns, but somehow, you could not resist picking up mathura ke pede and some delectable besan laddoos. You wonder why you always buy too much, and also why it never feels enough. You leave the shop, already wondering who deserves which piece, and whether you will manage not to eat three gulab jamuns in the parking lot while pretending to make a call. There's something wildly comforting about this mess. No one is pretending here. There are no Instagram-influencer-friendly corners, and no muted palettes that have somehow become associated with a type of faux sophistication which would be laudatory, if not so empty. The local sweet shop is a seasonal portal to who we were and who we pretend to be; a scene of indulgence, and the sangam of taste and memory. It amplifies the idea that mithai in India is an emotional compass. You know exactly where you are in someone's heart, depending on the weight of the mithai box they hand you. A half-kilo? You are just about tolerable. One kilo? You have done something right. Two kilos? They are probably feeling guilty about something. And it is in these small, glowing shops, that the festive glow lives. And you, dear reader, are part of this symphony, coming back every year for another delicacy dripping with redolent chashni. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Who Is Indias Most Famous Ghost Hunter? Talked To Spirits, Later Found Dead Under His Shower; The Reason Behind His Mysterious Death Is...
On July 7, 2016, renowned Indian paranormal investigator Gaurav Tiwari was found dead at his home in Dwarka, leaving fans and the paranormal community stunned. At just 31, he was discovered lying on his bathroom floor with a faint black mark around his neck. While police classified it as a case of asphyxiation, many were skeptical, unwilling to believe it was a straightforward suicide—especially given his mysterious line of work and rising fame. From TV Host to Paranormal Icon Born on September 2, 1984, Gaurav rose to fame as the host of MTV's Girl's Night Out with Rannvijay Singh, where three women braved haunted locations to face supernatural forces. He also appeared in shows like Haunted Weekends with Sunny Leone, Bhoot Aaya, Fear Files, and Haunting: Australia. As the CEO and founder of the Indian Paranormal Society, he became a recognized figure both in India and abroad, investigating ghosts, UFOs, and unexplained phenomena. The Mystery of His Passing Although the post-mortem confirmed death due to asphyxia, speculation swirled about possible foul play. Just a month earlier, Gaurav had confided in his wife about feeling an overpowering negative force pulling him in, something he was finding hard to resist. She dismissed it then, attributing it to work-related pressure. According to Surender Kumar, DCP (South-West), police concluded, 'It is a clear case of suicide. He hanged himself in the bathroom with his wife's dupatta on Thursday night,' as reported to The Times of India.
