‘Rasode Mein Kaun Tha’: From BJP to netizens, watch how ‘Kokilaben rap’ has tickled one and all

A popular meme has taken over TV debates in India, so much so that when “Kokilaben rap” was mumbled by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra recently, Internet took a pause and listened in amusement.

Over the weekend, Kokilaben went viral on social media recently, nearly three years after the end of popular Hindi serial ‘Saath Nibhana Saathiya’ on Star Plus.

Last week, a music producer called Yashraj Mukhate, a singer-producer from Aurangabad recently converted a small scene from the show featuring Kokilaben and converted it into a hilarious music video. In an interesting twist to a conversation between Kokilaben Modi, her daughter-in-law Gopi Bahu and her sister-in-law Rashi.

He changed the intense conversation, where Kokilaben alleges Rashi of a conspiracy and scolds Gopi Bahu, into a rap. He auto-tuned the dialogues of the scene, in which Kokila is inquiring who ate the food from the kitchen. The hilariously edited video cuts from Kokilaben’s face as she asks, “Rasode mein kaun tha? (Who was in the kitchen?)”

While the Internet knows the culprit was indeed Rashi, BJP’s Patra, appearing on a debate on news channel Aaj Tak, likened the fictional character and her “act” to Congress’s Rahul Gandhi.

The debate which also saw Patra’s nemesis Pawan Khera on the panel, was centred around Congress and Gandhi family’s “hold” over the party as the BJP spokesperson read out the viral rap verbatim.

The rap version or what is being hailed as the best mashup of 2020 that is going viral is from the daily soap Saath Nibhaana Saathiya, which was the most watched show when it had released.

Ever since then, the song has gone viral to the extent that other Instagram users are now coming up with their own versions of the mash-up! The tune is catchy, and some users have even come up with innovative (and very, very cool) choreography to the beats of the song!

Rupal Patel who played the role of Kokilaben was so impressed that she called  Yashraj Mukate, the guy behind the viral mashup, to express her gratitude.

“My sister-in-law sent me a message about it. Later my co-actor, Rhea Sharma sent me the rap. My immediate reaction was surprise and shock. I was perplexed about how Yashraj got this clip since I never sang on the show. Later, I realised that it’s a rap and he has used my dialogues for it (laughs!).”

“I liked it so much that I asked a few friends for his number. I spoke to him and expressed my gratitude. I am humbled and grateful for Smriti (Irani) madam for liking it. I am not on any social media platforms as I don’t want to be distracted when I am working. On the set, my world is the screenplay and the show. I reach before time and ask for the screenplay for the day. I even memorise my co-actors’ dialogues to know their cue. If I am not involved in a scene, how will I convince my audience with my portrayal of it?,” she told ETimes.