The term gharjamai, in Hindi, refers to a resident son-in-law who lives in a house of his wife's family.
Etymology The word Gharjamai is a compound of two words: Ghar and Jamai. The word Ghar is derived from Sanskrit word Gr̥ha (गृह) meaning house and Jamai is derived from Sanskrit word jāmātr̥ (जामातृ) meaning son in law. Thus Gharjamai refers to the resident son-in-law.
Definition A man who lives in a house of his wife is known as Gharjamai. He usually lives with his wife's family or depends on his wife's family for support. The term carries a social stigma, as husband is traditionally considered responsible for running the household and depending on the wife's family for support is held in a negative view. In more modern usage, the overall financial position of the son-in-law is considered and taken into account when using this label; if, for example, the son-in-law possesses land or other property, he is not considered a Gharjamai. Varying definitions exist, however. Films and TV serials both with a serious and light hearted view have been made about this phenomenon.
In popular culture Movies +YearLanguageMovieActor1961HindiSasuralRajendra Kumar1967HindiRam Aur ShyamPran1968HindiDo KaliyaanBiswajit Chatterjee1968HindiAashirwadAshok Kumar1968HindiNeel KamalMehmood1969HindiDharti Kahe Pukar KeSanjeev Kumar1969HindiPaisa Ya PyaarBiswajit Chatterjee1973HindiPhagunDharmendra1974HindiBidaaiJeetendra1976HindiTapasyaAsrani1981HindiNakhudaRaj Kiran1982HindiDulha Bikta HaiRaj Babbar1982HindiKhud-DaarVinod Mehra1982HindiKaamchorSuresh Oberoi1983HindiRishta Kagaz KaSudhir1983HindiAvtaarGulshan Grover1983HindiMazdoorRaj Babbar1986HindiPeechha KarroFarooq Sheikh1987HindiPyar Ke KabilRishi Kapoor1988HindiBiwi Ho To AisiKader Khan1989HindiJaisi Karni Waisi BharniiShakti Kapoor1989HindiBilloo BadshahSumeet Saigal1989HindiChandniAnupam Kher1990HindiGhar Ho To AisaKader Khan1990HindiJamai RajaAnil Kapoor1992HindiGhar JamaiMithun Chakraborty1993HindiAasoo Bane AngaareyAnupam Kher1994HindiLaadlaAnil Kapoor1996HindiSautela BhaiRaj Babbar1996HindiRaja Ki Aayegi BaaraatMohnish Bahl1996HindiNamakPreetam Oberoi & Gulshan Grover1997HindiYes BossAditya Pancholi1998BengaliJamai No. 1Ranjit Mallick2000HindiBeti No. 1Prem Chopra2001HindiZubeidaaVinod Sharawat2001HindiEk Rishtaa: The Bond of LoveMohnish Bahl2001HindiLove Ke Liye Kuch Bhi KaregaSaif Ali Khan2001HindiKyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin BoltaSharad Kapoor2008BengaliGhar JamaiProsenjit Chatterjee2009HindiChal Chala ChalAsrani & Manoj Joshi2009HindiEk: The Power of OneJaspal Bhatti & Sanjay Mishra2016HindiKi & KaArjun Kapoor2019PunjabiMunda Hi ChahidaRavi Aneja2019HindiJhootha Kahin KaOmkar Kapoor2019HindiBalaSaurabh Shukla2020PunjabiJaan To PyaraDeputy Raja2020HindiGulabo SitaboAmitabh Bachchan2023HindiShehzadaRonit Roy2023PunjabiJi Wife JiKaramjit Anmol & Lucky Dhaliwal & Roshan Prince2023HindiKathalDherendra Kumar Tiwari2023PunjabiCarry on Jatta 3Binnu Dhillon2023PunjabiKade Dade Diyan Kade Pote DiyanSukhwinder Chahal2023HindiDry DayJuned2024HindiSarfiraSaurabh Goyal2025HindiAap Jaisa KoiKumar Kanchan Ghosh & Shashie Vermaa2025PunjabiGodday Godday Chaa 2Ashok Tangri & Amrit Amby2025HindiKis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2Kapil Sharma
TV Series +YearTV seriesActor1986Ghar JamaiAnant Mahadevan1997MargaritaMilind Soman1997-98Ghar JamaiR. MadhavanAshiesh Roy1999–2009Yes BossRakesh Bedi1995–2006Hum PaanchAli Asgar2001–04KhichdiKamlesh Oza2005Instant Khichdi2002-06Piya Ka GharImran Khan/Hoshang Govil2005–09Saat Phere: Saloni Ka SafarAshish Kapoor2010–11Baat Hamari Pakki HaiVivek Mushran2012–13Jhilmil Sitaaron Ka Aangan HogaJitendra Trehan/Saurabh DubeyRakesh PaulPraveen HingoniaPankaj Tiwari2014–17Jamai RajaRavi Dubey2015Dil Ki Baatein Dil Hi JaaneSailesh Gulabani
Books +YearBookAuthor1961A House for Mr. BiswasV. S. Naipaul
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