The best romantic comedies on TV: 'Bhakarwadi', 'Anandibaa aur Emily' and more

When most of us wish to have a hearty laugh, we tune into a sitcom. But when humour is coupled with romance, it makes us laugh and also heals our hearts. Over the years, we have seen some amazing romantic comedies across Bollywood and OTT. But even Indian television has experimented in the genre and hasn't disappointed us either. It has given us some amazing romantic comedies with an element of Indianness that have made them relatable and popular.

What happens when a Gujarati homemaker gets a Caucasian as her daughter-in-law? Chaos! This funny romantic comedy shows the story of a foreigner, Emily, who falls in love with an Indian man, Aarav. However, a cultural shock awaits the foreign-born Emily when she meets Aarav’s mother, Anandibaa. Though Anandibaa is not resentful towards Emily, she is not warm either. The slow-burning friendship between Baa, Emily and Aarav is humorous and entertaining to watch. Emily’s constant efforts to embrace the Gujarati culture and win over her mother-in-law and neighbours, all for Aarav, are sure to leave you laughing out loud.

A Gujarati and a Marwadi family are neighbours. They don't like seeing each other’s faces, but their children develop romantic feelings toward each other. While the children are open about their feelings, their families keep a straight face. The children navigating their cultural differences to convince their respective parents is what makes the series interesting. But every time things appear to be going well, there is always a new challenge arising en route for the lovebirds. The unexpected twists and turns from society, friends and family that the lovebirds face make 'Bhakarwadi' a humorous watch.

When five young people with different personalities are brought to work under one roof, fights and fireworks are bound to happen. While Sunny, J.D, Ranjan, Riya and Sam are co-workers, they are also supportive of one another when needed. However, with time, two of their colleagues fall for one another. How the couple manages to conceal their relationship from the gossip community of the workplace makes it even more entertaining. Every episode of the series centres around bizarre scenarios arising from office politics, which makes it hard to hold your laughter.

‘Itti Si Khushi’ stars Sumbul Touqeer as the lead Anvita, a 21-year-old, the eldest of the six siblings. With a father battling alcoholism and a mother who abandoned them, Anvita becomes the glue that holds her family together. However, Anvita finds herself at a crossroads when she is approached by her childhood best friend and a college mate for a relationship. The attempts made by both men to win the lady’s approval are exceedingly hilarious. Some of which include tracking down her alcoholic father and attending to her siblings' unreasonable demands. Nevertheless, it is these repeated goof-ups by the two men that bring a smile to Anvita’s face and lighten up her world every day.

Yug, a practical lawyer and Kairi, a hustler, are brought face to face with one another. Their constant run-ins, both at home and in the courtroom, spark a series of emotional confrontations and comical fights. But despite their differences, they find themselves drawn to each other. Only to be thrown apart again due to their profession. The continuous reunion and separation of Yug and Kairi tickle your funny bone and also heal your heart.

The sequel of the 2009 hit sitcom ‘Sajan Re Jhoot mat bolo’. This serial shows the journey of a rich boy, Jay, who falls for a middle-class Jaya. Jai and Jaya come from two different worlds and thus represent two different sides of society. Jaya’s stringent father despises rich people. Jai, to win over his lady love’s father, feigns his identity as middle-class. The hilarious encounters where Jai accidentally reveals his identity are sure to make you laugh. Along with addressing the issues of class divide, the show also takes a dig at rich people who feign their struggle just to look relatable. The witty dialogues where Jay’s family pretends to be middle-class are peak satire coupled with humour.