| Runtime: | 18 minutes (approx.) |
| Location: | United States |
| Creator: | Abi Varghese Ajayan Venugopalan |
| Starring: | Jose Valiyakallumkall Sajini Sachariah Jacob Gregory Litto Joseph Priya Joseph |
| Composer: | Kedaar Kumar |
| Country: | India |
| Network: | Kairali TV |
| Num Seasons: | 4 |
| Num Episodes: | 50 |
Akkara Kazhchakal [1] is an Indian Malayalam-language sitcom that aired on Kairali TV from 2008 to 2010. The series consisted of fifty episodes which chronicled the lives of a middle-class Malayali family settled in the United States of America.[2] The show was created by Abi Varghese and Ajayan Venugopalan and starred relative newcomers as the leads.
The show is regarded as the first true Malayalam sitcom with real-life situations and witty dialogues. The series was considered a refreshing break for the Malayali audience. It broke broadcasting conventions when it was uploaded to YouTube[3] in its entirety by the show's creators. Akkara Kazhchakal has enjoyed widespread popularity during its initial run as well as in the subsequent years. The series has been especially commended for its realistic portrayal of day-to-day Malayali life, social commentary and satirical humour. Josekutty Valiyakallumkal has been widely praised for his portrayal of George Thekkumoottil, the patriarch of the family.
The show's popularity lead to a film titled .
George Thekkinmootil is a Malayali from Aymanam. He moved to the U.S., after marrying Rincy who is a nurse working in New Jersey. Having grown up in Kerala, he is often nostalgic and emotional about his homeland. Rincy, by contrast has accustomed to the American life, and is not bothered much by it. A running gag throughout the show is the cultural divide between George and his children. Though he is critical of their embracement of the American culture, he is a loving father and often tells them how fortunate they are to enjoy such a great life in America. At the onset of the series, George is stuck in a job that he dislikes and tries launching various businesses, all of which backfire. He finally settles down as an insurance agent after clearing the Insurance License Exam, and starts his own Insurance firm.
Gregory is George's ever-stammering insurance assistant. Even though his actual name is Gregory, George calls him "Girigiri" because of his stammering. His constant need for snacks is often criticized by George. Rincy is very fond of Gregory and considers him like the younger brother she never had. Gregory walks out after being irritated by Appachan, and Candy is recruited to take his place. But soon Gregory joins back as Candy steals George's laptop & runs away and he got fired from his job.
Another plot line that runs parallel to George's is Mahesh (Mahi) and Babykuttan (Baby). They land in the U.S. from Kerala through George's friend, Jose, who is a placement agent in New Jersey. On their very first day, they almost ended up being arrested by a cop after the fire alarm went off because they burned an omelet. The police officer mistook their Puttu Kodam, used for making Puttu, for a marijuana (colloquially "pot") vaporizer. Their housemates Krish (Jayan Mathew) and Baiju (Geo Thomas) moved in with them after losing their jobs during the IT recession.
There are a few episodes in which Appachan prepares grape pickles around the grape season, and Girigiri helps him sell them in the local Indian grocery store under the brand name Appachan's Achar.[4]
| Character | Portrayed by | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appachan | Paulose Palatty | George's father | |
| Mahesh (Mahi) | Hari Dev | Nurse | |
| Babykuttan | Sanjeev Nair | Nurse | |
| Baiju | Geo Thomas | Software engineer | |
| Krishankutty (Krish) | Jayan Joseph | Software engineer | |
| Sunny Singh | Amarpreet Nanda | Roommate of Mahi and Babykuttan | |
| Shiny | Shine Roy | Rincy's friend | |
| Jacob Embranthiri | Saji Sebastian | A wine-loving scientist and Shiny's husband. | |
| Achan | Joseph Mathew Kuttolamadom | Parish Priest | [5] |
| Prasava Gopi | Devassy Palatti | Insurance agent. George's main competitor in the field | |
| Candy | Cynthia Gianetti | George's Temporary assistant | |
| Manager | Gracey James | George's manager | |
| Ikkili Chacko | Sunny Kalloppara | Dispatcher at George's workplace | |
| Jose | Kurian Valiyakallumkal | Georgekutty's friend | |
| Philip | Rengit Peter Madaparambath | Video cassette loaner | |
| Richard | Bris Kocak | Nursing superintendent | |
| Policeman | Richard Lampone | Policeman who questions Mahi & Babykuttan | |
| Paul | Greg Vorob | Josekutty's neighbour | |
| Molly | Malini Krishna | Chackochan's wife | |
| Chackochan | Peter Neendoor | ||
| Soman | Soman | Malayali shop owner | |
Abi Varghese was unable to get producers to finance a Malayalam film. He met Ajayan Venugopalan and decided to make a television series based on their own lives. Varghese and Venugopalan discussed the scripts during lunch breaks since they both had corporate jobs. Many incidents from Varghese's real life were used in the television series. A group of local artists dubbed the "Infamous Coconuts" acted in the film for fun and were not paid. Varghese edited the episodes during the nights.[6]
See main article: Akkara Kazhchakal: The Movie. Following the success of Akkara Kazhchakal, the team planned to release a movie calling it Akkara Kazhchakal - The Movie. The movie was released in the United States on 29 April 2011, and produced by Infamous Coconuts & BOM TV.[7]
In the film, Thekkinmootil Family decides to move Appachan and Ammachi to an old age home in Kerala. Meanwhile, between the jobs and a new insurance office, George and Rincy finds it hard to spend time with the family. With Rincy, kids and Appachan complaining about a much needed break, George finally decides to take the family on a vacation to Niagara Falls.[7]
Nita Sathyendran of The Hindu reviewed, "It looks like George has not only delivered on his promise but has also managed to endear himself to his viewers."[8] Jacob A. C. of Mathrubhumi said, "The victory of Akkara Kazhchakal lies in the fact that it was able to introduce the day to day life of an Malayali-American a lighter mood."[9]
| Country | Showtime | Re-run | |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 10:00pm IST - 10:30pm IST (Mon) | ||
| United States | 15:00 EST - 15:30 EST (Sat) | 22:30 EST - 23:00 EST (Fri) |
This sitcom had an estimated 80,000 weekly viewers.