I randomly started watching Thode Door Thode Paas on Zee5 last night. No big expectations — I just needed something light. But somewhere between episode one and two, I found myself pausing, smiling, and thinking — this is so us.
It’s a simple story about a family glued to their gadgets, until the father (played by Pankaj Kapur) throws in a wild challenge: stay off all devices for six months. No phones, no laptops, no TV. The prize? One crore each. Crazy, right? But what follows isn’t about the money at all — it’s about what happens when people start looking up from their screens.
Pankaj Kapur is honestly brilliant. The authority and audacity his personality carries, along with the warmth in his eyes, will make you listen to him again and again. Every expression of his feels lived-in, not performed. You believe him completely.
The younger actors — Ayesha Kaduskar and Sartaaj Kakkar — are equally lovely. There’s something so honest about the way they react — the twitchy hands when the phone is taken away, the awkward family dinners, the gradual discovery of boredom, laughter, and connection. It feels like watching today’s generation learn how to breathe again.
Mona Singh and Kunaal Roy Kapur add the perfect middle ground. They’re the working parents — tired, caught between deadlines and dinner tables, trying to hold it all together. Their scenes hit home because you see your own life somewhere in them.
What I liked most is how the show never shouts its message. It doesn’t tell you “put your phone down” — it just shows what happens when you actually do. There is an uncomfortable quietness and a warm, hidden laughter.
The intentional, slow pacing of the plot teaches us how to sit still again, reconnect with our loved ones without the interference of any gadget.
By the end, I realized the show’s title makes perfect sense — Thode Door Thode Paas. Because that’s what most of us are these days. Not too far, not too close. Just somewhere in between, scrolling away, forgetting to look up.
If you are looking for something that leaves your eyes moist yet brings a smile to your face — this imperfectly cooked family drama will make you keep your phone aside and ponder over a lot of “just life things.”
Image Courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/thode-door-thode-paas/season-1/seasonreview/125077660.cms
If you enjoyed my thoughts on Thode Door Thode Paas, share your favorite moments or reactions in the comments below — I’d love to hear from you!
– Avni Katakkar
About the Writer
Avni Katakkar is a technologist by qualification and a writer by passion. She is an avid reader and a poet at heart. Avni is a freelance content writer and a professionally acclaimed storyteller. She is recognized and celebrated as a storyteller by the renowned IIT Bombay.
Founder Member, Host & Social Media Specialist at StoryScrapers, Avni combines her love for technology and storytelling to create engaging content that resonates with readers and aspiring writers alike.
