{{Short description|2001 Indian Hindi-language television sitcom}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | genre = Comedy | creator = | writer = Alok Tomar<br/>Monisha Shah<br/>Noopur Tiwari | director = Smeeta Chakravarty | starring = see below | opentheme = "Ji Mantriji" | country = India | language = Hindi | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 38 | executive_producer = Duncan Cooper from BBC Worldwide | producer = | editor = | runtime = Approx. 25 minutes | company = NDTV with BBC Worldwide | channel = StarPlus | first_aired = {{start date|2001|4|26|df=y}} | last_aired = {{end date|2001}} }}
'''''Ji Mantriji''''' (literally "Yes Minister" in Hindi) is an Indian adaptation of the British satirical sitcom ''Yes Minister''. It was telecast on 26 April 2001 on StarPlus with permission from the BBC.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Political stars in channel wars|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/politics-stars-in-channel-wars/cid/931392|access-date=|website=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hindi makeover for Yes Minister |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1287388.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=20 April 2001 }}</ref> The series features Farooq Sheikh as Surya Prakash Singh, the Minister of Administrative Affairs; and Jayant Kripalani as the department's secretary.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Showbiz programming is NDTV's route to achieve a greater level of independence|url=https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/entertaining-news/210509|access-date=|website=Outlook India}}</ref> The plot lines were the same as those of the original, with suitable changes in the Indian context.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=31 August 2001|title=A barbed look at babudom|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30251793.ece|access-date=|website=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=It's guiles & wiles all the way|url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010513/spectrum/tv.htm|access-date=|website=The Tribune|archive-date=31 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831143501/https://m.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010513/spectrum/tv.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Ji Mantriji'' was produced by NDTV in collaboration with BBC Worldwide.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=3 May 2001|title=Ji Mantriji is serious business for BBC|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ji-Mantriji-is-serious-business-for-BBC/articleshow/40245995.cms|access-date=|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The opening titles for each episode were illustrated by famous Indian cartoonist, R. K. Laxman, well known for his political cartoon series, The Common Man.
''Ji Mantriji'' was in production for a year before being aired, which is unusual in Indian television where serials are generally developed and produced a few weeks in advance. The writers changed certain references to fit the new setting: France was changed to Pakistan and the European Economic Community was changed to the SAARC and the Commonwealth. A sequel, ''Ji Pradhanmantriji'' (based on the original British series' sequel Yes, Prime Minister) was also produced. The books accompanying the series were published in India by Penguin Books.<ref>{{cite web|title=An Interview with Rupert Gavin|url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/interviews/executive/rupert.htm|work=IndianTelevision.com|publisher=IndianTelevision|accessdate=15 March 2011|date=3 November 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Banerjee|first=Piali|title=Prickly politicians ensure paucity of satires on TV|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-01-18/mumbai/28348167_1_political-satire-jay-leno-politicians/2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120418230939/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-01-18/mumbai/28348167_1_political-satire-jay-leno-politicians/2|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2012|accessdate=15 March 2011|newspaper=The Times of India|date=18 January 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Jayasankar|first=Menaka|title=It's About Compatibility|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/41823/|accessdate=15 March 2011|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=29 February 2004}}</ref>
==Cast== *Farooq Sheikh as Surya Prakash Singh *Jayant Kripalani as Rajnath Mathur
==Awards== *Hero Honda ITA Award for Best Serial Comedy *Hero Honda ITA Award for Best Actor in a Comedy - Farooq Sheikh<ref>{{cite news|title=Yes Minister gets Ukrainian makeover|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6596901/Yes-Minister-gets-Ukrainian-makeover.html|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=29 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Company History - NDTV|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infocompanyhistory.cms?companyid=16783|work=Economic Times|date=17 January 2005|accessdate=15 March 2011}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{SP Shows}} {{Yes Minister}}
Category:StarPlus original programming Category:Indian political television series Category:Indian comedy television series Category:2001 Indian television series debuts Category:2001 Indian television series endings Category:Indian television series based on British television series
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