TV's THE FAMILY: Sonia Kapur's blog - week 6

Here is the latest instalment of our reporter Sonia Kapur's blog on the Channel 4 reality TV show The Family, which followed the lives of Indian family The Grewals from Horton in the Royal Borough.

Mr Grewal – you were on a mission this week!

This week’s episode titled ‘Risk it for a Biscuit’ was once again full of laughter, and I think the comedy award this week definitely goes to Mr Grewal.

He was full of comical phrases, starting with his reaction to a pest controller calling on the household from Horton, to get rid of rats. With a child-like expression and eyes wide open, he says excitedly: “He is going to catch them alive? That would be nice – I want to see that.”

And so the comedy of getting rid of the rat infestation in the Grewal’s village home begins - and so does Mr Grewal’s mission of ‘cleaning’ the house in Stanwell Road. It was like watching my own father, in my Windsor home, on a massive operation to clean the house (which, seemingly like Mr Grewal, happens once in a blue moon).

Like many men, he decides to open draws, clear out rubbish, move items around the house – while screaming and shouting at his wife that she never does anything.

“When did you last clean this cupboard,” he asks his wife. “You have been sitting at home every day of your life – what have you done?” he continues.

It was so funny to watch his tantrums, and him swearing in Punjabi. I am sure many families could relate to this situation. He reminds me of actor Om Puri’s character in film East is East.

I also loved the fact that we saw Mr and Mrs Grewal speak more Punjabi in this week’s episode and they did crack me up with phrases, that I also hear on a daily basis in my own home. The language, as well as the background Bollywood music, gave this week’s episode more of an Indian feel.

One of the main highlights for me was seeing the family’s reaction to Michael Jackson’s death because it showed viewers the collective shock that the Grewal family shared with the rest of the world.

And then the tone became more serious, the dramatic background music was pumped up and audiences saw that it is not always fun and games in the Grewal household.

My heart once again went out to Jeet and Kaki, who are currently living in the same home as Kaki’s parents. I can understand how Jeet is torn between his own family in India and his wife and child in the UK. My own mum, from Punjab in India, often feels the same way.

As I watched this week’s show I instantly started to wonder, what should Jeet do? Visit his parents and siblings half way across the world, or stay behind and take care of his pregnant wife, who is constantly telling him that she thinks the baby will be born early? It is a hard one to answer. 

I can see that Jeet wants to visit his family now, because his responsibilities will only increase once his baby is born. His trip to India could therefore be delayed for a couple of years. His confusion was summed up when he said: “It is such a big risk – what if the baby comes and I am in India. I will regret it for the rest of my life.”

It was an emotional ending when Jeet’s wife and child pour their hearts out while waving him ‘bye bye,’ and he decides to ‘risk it for a biscuit.’ 

In next week’s show we will learn that Kaki’s gut feeling proves true and her baby arrives early. Will there be any complications? Will Jeet come back to see his baby enter the world?

Tune into Channel 4 on Wednesday at 9pm to find out.

COMMENT: Do you think Jeet should have gone to India? What was your favourite clip this week? Tell us below.