In 2015, when Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai was launched, not many expected it to last as long as it has. The show was about two flirtatious men who eyed their neighbours' wives, and was laced with double-entendre dialogue. However, much to everybody's surprise, the show drew strong ratings and became something of an industry favourite. Actor Rohitashv Gour spoke to indianexpress.com about the show's legacy, as it completes eight years on the air. "Johnny Lever, Prem Chopra, Anil Dhawan, Pandit Birju Maharaj, all of them have loved our show. Johnny ji even called me and wanted to know more about me. Salman Khan called Aasif bhai and said, 'Pehli baar TV show dekh ke has raha hu (I haven't laughed this much while watching a TV show). Even Dharmendra and family and Rajkumar Hirani, all of them watch our show and have always given us positive feedback," Gour said. The sitcom also stars Aasif Sheikh, Shubhangi Atre and Vidisha Srivastava. He added that the love they've received has increased a sense of responsibility, not just in them, but also the writers. Eight years and more than 2000 episodes later, we wondered if monotony ever sets in. "Absolutely it does," Gour replied, adding that as actors, the desire to do more is always there. "Especially when you see your contemporaries do so well. Now with OTT, everyone is doing so well, so you do often question, 'Why not me?' Pankaj Tripathi, Manoj Bajpayee, and even Nawazuddin Siddiqui are doing such good work. Some of them are from your institute and then there are some who came after you. But then, I realise commitment is a bigger strength for us. I cannot leave the show mid-way. Also, given it's a sitcom, the story keeps changing and we get to do so much more. The charm thus continues to flow and the varied personalities keep us on our toes. Now that it's been such a beautiful journey, why should I disturb the tandem? One has to get a hold of your desires and believe that good things will happen for you too," he said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rohitashv Gour (@rohitashvgour) The actor added that emotionally and financially, one doesn't want to risk losing on the regular flow of income. "You get into the habit of earning the amount, which is also a good amount (chuckles). I have also started to believe that maybe it's meant to be, that truly gives you the satisfaction to carry on." Gour is a graduate of the NSD's (National School of Drama) 1989 batch. This is when TV was evolving, and the actor said that most actors were drawn to the small screen at the time. "There were some amazing shows happening then and most of us were more interested in television than films. We also wanted to explore the different characters it had to offer. It was truly the golden period. And now with OTT getting bigger, actors like us have so much more opportunities. Look at Manoj, he is doing so well," Gour said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shubhangi Atre (@shubhangiaofficial) On a parting note, we asked the actor if he never pursued a career in films because he was only being offered supporting roles. "Absolutely. Also, everyone would say, 'Lead jabtak na mile, baat nahi banti (till you don't get a lead role, it's no fun)'. That's the practical thought. If you play the main part, only then do you get that kind of popularity. Also, luckily the shows that I have done have all worked for years, and thus I never had the time to go and pursue films." Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai airs on AndTV.
