We often relate fragrances, faces, places etc. to our childhood. I relate mine to Hip Hip Hurray. This wonderful programme telecasted every day from Monday to Friday at 7:30 p.m. on Zee TV has been like a childhood friend to me, sharing with me all the interesting aspects of 12th grade, teaching me some very useful lessons and preparing me for my own student life.

   It was the first of its kind. Serials based on youth at that period were quite rare. I remember my Dad scolding me once, telling me not to watch programmes that would spoil me ( he thought this was one of them). But apparantly, he ended up watching it with me. The beauty of the serial as we later discussed was that it had a moral to offer. One could always leanr. It was so close to reality that at times you did not feel that this is only a serial and the school kids are only acting. I remember I felt as if I knew each of them so well. the credit goes to the actors of course. The handled their roles superbly. Their acting was so natural. Cyrus was my favourite character. I also liked John and Raaghav.

      I was in 3rd grade when this programme was telecasted and even today I remember almost all the episodes. I guess my favourite was when Raaghav gets over his fear of heights and Mehul helps him(oooooh!!! that was sooo cute). Then there was the one about Alaknanda Mam getting pregnant and Meera finding an online chat friend who actually looked hedious ,when the kids feel that something is cooking up between Mona’s dad and the principal, Kiran learning to drive, the one with Milind Soman that the guys try to catch for their ad campaign, Prishita’s parents arranging her marriage. My dad’s best one is when the girls are kidnapped by this criminal whose name I do not remember.

    The title song too was quite catchy. We would often sing it on the buses on our way to a school excursion...’’ Aaj humara hai kal apna , koi mane ya na mane......Hip Hip Hurray!’’The way it was choreographed was soo interesting.

   It was followed by a second edition which was a complete flop. I had been expecting a lot but they changed the characters so it wasn’t the same Hip Hip Hurray and somehow I didn’t feel like watching it.

   What would i not give to Zee TV if they could start it again.........