Happy with both good and bad reactions to 'The Office': Rohan Sippy

Mumbai: Rohan Sippy the director of the Indian remake of popular American sitcom "The Office" says he is fine with the reception the Hotstar Special has got as it only means that the show has succeeded in starting conversations.

An official adaptation of the international series of the same name, the show has been directed by Sippy and Debbie Rao.

The Indian version, set in Faridabad, chronicles the nine-to-five lives of the employees at Wilkins Chawla as they navigate their mundane routine that invariably gives rise to comical situations.

The 13-episode sitcom, which premiered on the streaming platform last month, has been mostly panned by the critics and the fans but Sippy has a different opinion on this.

"A small number - the more anglicised crowd - is critical of the show, but many more people seem to be really enjoying it. I'm sure a lot of them haven't seen the original, just like most Americans would not have seen the UK version. Overall, I'm very happy with both kind of reactions, as it means that people are engaging with the content," Sippy told PTI.

The director said he is happy that the Indian show has been able to capture the feel and the mood of the original.

"I am happy that they stuck closely to the screenplay of the original, as it is an extremely well-written show. The reason it (American show) is such a lasting success is that it contains so many universally recognisable elements, like the romance between Jim and Pam (played by actors John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer). So adapting them was reasonably organic.

"Having said that, I think there have been nice touches, the way Dwight (actor Rainn Wilson's character) has been Indianised as TP Mishra (portrayed by actor Gopal Datt). One of my favourite characters is actually original -- the peon Bhadoria. I hope his character increases as the seasons proceed."

Sippy, however, admitted that remaking the show was a risk, which he believes, was worth taking.

"In all parts of life, the risk goes along with the reward. Though in this case, I think it has been a pretty safe bet as there are hundreds of episodes to draw on to keep this show going," he added.

The show is backed by Applause Entertainment.