The first time I heard the name Citizen Khan, I was skeptical. All I had heard about it at that point was that it was a show about a Pakistani family residing in the United Kingdom and the problems they faced there. The plot was simple. The show was a sitcom. I wasn’t too impressed, especially with all the controversy surrounding the show. I didn’t want to watch the show for fear that it would harm my personal beliefs or dishonor them in some way. I also did not want to talk to my friends about this dangerous topic. As it turned out, my friends actually recommended the show to me weeks after I first heard about it.
So I watched the pilot and what I saw amazed me. The show delved in to the comedy within the first minute of the pilot. The witty dialogue and interesting episode structure took me back to the old days of Mind Your Language. I was pulled in to the episode fast. What really got me and still has me excited about the show is the perfect blend of comedy, acting and plot. The way Adil Ray (who portrays Mr. Khan, the head of the Khan family) fits in to his role and really makes it his own is inspiring. The supporting cast is just as good in their roles to bring about success for the show.
The cast’s acting provides a very homey-ish touch for Pakistanis everywhere and although their antics are quite ridiculous in comparison with real life, it reminds us of how we portray characters in our own dramas and television shows. The show also has very memorable scenes and dialogue. One of the funniest scenes in the pilot is when Mr. Khan calls Dave, a mosque manager, racist names simply because he is a white Muslim. While this may, on text not seem like a very nice thing to say, in the show it’s all for good fun. It also describes what sort of a man Mr. Khan is. The audience is supposed to be astonished by Mr. Khan’s antics and that is exactly what happens.
The dialogues, much like the scenes, are quite memorable. One of Mr. Khan’s most popular lines is when he imagines himself, addressing the members of the local Pakistani Business Association, and says; “Ask not what your association can do for you but what have you done for me lately?” The way he says it is also bound to make one chuckle.
There isn’t really much in it that would make it seem controversial. It does have references to Islam and while these references are not subtle, they certainly are not outrageous or over offending.
Overall, the show looks really promising. Even though it has received skepticism from religious groups and doesn’t have great critic support, every time I watch it, it makes me nostalgic. It reminds me of the brilliant, vibrant 90’s shows (which were laugh riots) coupled with modern day dialogue to give a very satisfying end product. I hope that BBC continues with this show and that it goes a long way.

Rating: 5/5