Neighbors play a big role in our lives, whether we like it or not. While genuine community warmth is rare to find nowadays, the Netflix original comedy Chumbak explores the heartfelt side of urban living, tracking how five distinct neighborhood families gradually evolve into one giant surrogate family.
More specifically, the latest series feels like an amusing addition to the most-loved comedy genre, blending comedy with family dynamics, relatable everyday drama and chaos, and an easygoing charm. The series feels like a nostalgic throwback, resonating with fans of cult favorites like Khichdi, Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai and even Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
Plotline
Set in the fictional row house of Chumbak Colony in Mumbai’s Chembur area, the series follows five families living side by side. Though their homes are separate, the neighbors’ lives are closely connected, and they feel like one big family exploring happiness, chaos, arguments, fun, celebration, and drama together.
At the center is Rajni Merchant (Neena Gupta), exhausted with her husband, Kuku Merchant (Deven Bhojani), an Alzheimer’s patient who keeps forgetting things, making life difficult for Rajni.
The surrounding row houses are occupied by an eclectic mix of characters: the talkative Priyanka Khanna (Manasi Parekh) and her husband Aditya Khanna (Sumeet Vyas); the dramatic Dharmendra Kejriwal (Sumeet Raghavan) and Kiran Kejriwal (Sandeepa Dhar); the stylish duo Mickey Oberoi (Arjun Bijlani) and Twinkle Oberoi (Helly Shah); and a chaotic Parsi family consisting of Freddy (Anant V. Joshi), Hutouxi (Amyra Dastur), and their catalyst mother-in-law played by Delnaaz Irani.
Fed up with serving others for years, Rajni decides to seek a divorce from Kuku, setting the stage for drama, chaos, and shifting dynamics ahead.
Direction, Craft And More
Created and directed by Aatish Kapadia, the series’ biggest strength is its close-knit five-family setting, which becomes the center of the show’s humor. Kapadia’s signature creative footprint is visible throughout, striking a perfect balance between laugh-out-loud slapstick and emotional nostalgia reminiscent of his previous masterworks like Khichdi and Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai. What’s best about the series, I feel, is that it doesn’t force itself on the audience; instead, it feels relatable and engages easily.
Despite having a huge star cast, the series gave enough screen time to every character and, most importantly, every character is crafted with finesse, and it builds the arc, whether it’s Deven’s issue of forgetting things, Manasi’s overtalkative trait, or Helly’s innocent confidence- the detailing shows fine work. Pulling off comedy isn’t easy, and we noticed that at times, but most of the time it landed well.
The visual presentation is excellent, while the dialogues played a major role in adding humor and meaning to the chaos. From the opening scene, the series takes viewers on a mad ride.
Starcast Performances
Neena Gupta as Rajni Merchant is stunning, classy, and genuine. She played the role with conviction.
Deven Bhojani as Kuku Merchant is hilarious and yet again proves why he is still a favorite of many.
Manasi Parekh as Priyanka Khanna brings a genuine, chaotic, and relatable aura.
Sumeet Vyas as Aditya Khanna is phenomenal, making every scene he appears in worth watching.
Sumeet Raghavan as Dharmendra Kejriwal is genuine, hilarious, and perfectly suited to the role.
Sandeepa Dhar as Kiran Kejriwal brings sincerity to the character, adding to the drama.
Arjun Bijlani as Mickey Oberoi is a surprise. He looks gentle, genuine, and hilarious.
Helly Shah as Twinkle Oberoi is stylish, fine, and aurafied.
Anant V. Joshi as Freddy is impressive, especially with his Parsi accent.
Amyra Dastur as Hutouxi is similarly stunning, fun, witty, and chaotic.
Delnaaz Irani as Anant’s mother (Amyra’s mother-in-law) serves as a catalyst.
Chumbak is a must-watch whether you are a cult comedy fan or not. Backed by Hats Off Productions and Jamnadas (JD) Majethia, the series blends everyday chaos and drama into a hilarious ride.
Our Editorial Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
