# Shrimaan Shrimati inspired TMKOC’s Babita-Jethalal track, says SAB chairman 2026-08-19T16:23:41+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Ravi Adhikari, chairman of Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Ltd, has said the popular Jethalal-Babita track in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah appears to be inspired by the 1990s sitcom Shrimaan Shrimati. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, he said the idea of a man being attracted to another man's wife is a relatable premise and cannot be called a copy. Adhikari noted that the show Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai follows the same template even more closely. He stressed that what matters is ensuring characters do not cross the line, which both Shrimaan Shrimati and the newer shows have done. The 18-year-old Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to draw a large fan base for its comic situations. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This is the first time a co-creator of the original 1990s show has publicly linked it to the long-running TMKOC storyline. The admission comes as Indian television recycles successful templates, often without explicit credit. The key difference is tone: Shrimaan Shrimati was a farce centred on one couple, while TMKOC uses the gag as one thread in an ensemble. The next question for the industry is whether this opens a debate on intellectual property in TV comedy, where formulas travel freely between channels. ## Coverage - bollywoodhungama.com Presents an exclusive interview with direct quotes, no editorialising on the similarity claim. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Jethalal, Ravi Adhikari, Shrimaan Shrimati, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/shrimaan-shrimati-inspired-tmkocs-babita-jethalal-track-says-sab-chairman/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/shrimaan-shrimati-inspired-tmkocs-babita-jethalal-track-says-sab-chairman/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/