Dec 13, 2003 07:15 PM
10855 Views
(Updated Jul 21, 2004 07:17 AM)
This is a story of me and my association with TV. Having just turned 25 and started feeling older (Isn't it high time I did?), I wanted to reminisce all those TV moments that have been so much a part of my life at some point of time. These are by no means the best TV serials as the category describes it. There have definitely been programmes that have been made in a better way, technically, aesthetically and content wise. So I really make no tall claims regarding my choices here. Its been almost twenty years since TV came into my life, and at every stage there was something to look forward to. These are mostly my best remembered TV experiences. Coincidently, this also happens to be my 25th review on Mouthshut,being written on my first day as a 25 year old. (..sigh!)
Walt Disney Presents :Those were the times when the working week used to be for six whole days, didn't I hate school? (So why am I still in it? ..ahems). Sunday used to be the perfect time for entertainment, play and lots of TV. Ofcourse there was the inevitable homework also, but it wasn't until I was done with the TV, that it got some attention ( for that matter even mummy's constant pestering also helped ). Cartoons by Disney used to be simple and were only served with pure entertainment in mind. These might appear to be a bit dated now, but in those days, Sunday mornings were reserved exclusively for 'Walt Disney Presents'. It was mostly about Mickey and the most loved duck of all times, Donald( Daffy, move aside )with the other Disney characters like Pluto, Goofy, Minnie, Unca Scrooge, the beagle boys making brief appearances. It was also the series when all the kids of the neighborhood got together in the morning, since TV was a hot commodity then. Oh, how I miss those sunday mornings, without a care for the hangovers or for that matter even laundry!!
Vikram aur Betal: One of Ramanand Sagar's best flicks well known for his ever popular Ramayan. The series was about a righteous king ,Vikram who goes in search of a ghost, Betal. Each time he succeeds in trapping him but has to listen to a story on his way back. There is also an impending condition set by Betal that he would accompany Vikram as long as he kept his vow of silence, never uttering a word. These were simple stories which contained a moral, and a question at the end posed by Betal to Vikram. Betal also warned the king that if he knew the answer and failed to answer it, he (Betal) would have his head. The cunning Betal knew that the king was too clever not to know the answer, and each time Vikram fell for the trap followed by the inevitable ...tu bola aur main chala...voooooo. Grandma had a reason to love this series as well, for all the shanti in the neighbourhood as all the kids would be glued to the television sets.
Malgudi Days:Based on the famous series of books by R K Narayan, this was an eternal favorite that was produced and directed by another genius Shankar Nag. Malgudi though born out of Narayan's imagination, was inspired by the trysts with his hometowns, Mysore and Madras. The quaint little village with all its characters never failed to amaze and inspire. Even as a kid, I couldn't but marvel at the refreshing episodes that kept appearing week after week on Doordarshan, then the only source of entertainment as far as TV was concerned. Well supported by brilliant performances by Shankar Nag and Master Manjunath that won him laurels all over the country. Best remembered episodes were the ones featuring Swami and his friends prominent among whom were Mani the mighty, Samuel the pea, Sankar the teachers favorite and the rich kid in town-Rajam.
Bharat, Ek Khoj: Based on the classic, 'Discovery of India' by Jawaharlal Nehru, this Shyam Benegal classic helped us understand history in a more clear and concise manner. It used to be highly recommended by teachers and parents alike, who for a change didn't mind me switching on the TV even if there was a home work pending. Roshan Seth was well chosen as the worthy narater, maybe because of his resemblance to Pt.Nehru and he ended up doing a great job, each time. However, with due respects to Pt.Nehru some of the aspects of the book and subsequently the series seemed to be too soft hearted to the actual realities in history and gave an impression that it was written primarily with a British audience in mind. Among other faults of the book, its prosaic nature was well countered by Benegal's artistry and it made watching the serial a very enjoyable and an enriching experience. Although I never ended up as an historian, I appreciate the work as it was one of the prime motivators for me getting hooked onto history in school, which was otherwise one of the most drab and dreaded subjects.
Quiz Time:Well, if Bharat,ek Khojdidn't ,this one surely led to the parents to believe that a little bit of TV could actually be a good thing for their children. Hosted by Siddharth Basu, who is now an iconic figure in the Indian Quiz scene and hosts the Mastermind show in India, among other things. Though there have been numerous other popular quiz serials, prominent among which was the popular 'Bournvita Quiz Contest' by Derek O'brien, Quiz Time probably would remain as the best remembered one ever especially for people in my age group. It made the whole TV experience so enjoyable with Sis and Dad. I would never let go of a chance to show off to my dad, with me and him fighting over who could come up with the fastest answers. One bad experience which was an outcome of this serial was that I was kicked out of the classroom one day for quizzing with my mates in a Hindi class. Other than that, all I can say now is that it was lots of fun and I love you, dad.
Mahabharat: If Quiztime was a dad and kids affair, Mahabharat roped in the entire nation. Every Indian aged seven to seventy would be glued to the TV screen on Sunday mornings. It is one serial perhaps to have had the maximum influence on the country in general. It was considered to be a cardinal sin to miss any episode. And god forbid, if there was a power failure, the guys at the electricity board would be branded as villains by the whole city. Some trains were known to halt at stations, so that the passengers wouldn't have to miss an episode. Bows and Arrows became the new fascination for kids and Arjun was their new hero. Even Rambo and He-Man had to bow out to this national craze. It is always considered smart to know about our own history and mythology before studying about the rest of the world, and Mahabharat did help the purpose. It was fashionable to talk about Indian mythology and it spawned a new series of mythological serials, but none of them could ever recreate the Mahabharat magic. Mahabharat was perhaps B.R.Chopra's most prominent contribution to Indian entertainment in general and television in particular.
The World This Week: `Good evening and welcome to The World This Week' ,greeted Prannoy Roy on Friday nights and India would listen. Regarded as one of the most popular news programmes in the history of Indian television, it was also the first in its category that could meet international standards or even exceed them. Tormented by DD news, TWTW was a novel and an innovative way of listening to news for most Indian viewers. It got the whole family together and while grandma would often complain about the change in sleeping patterns, no one else really seemed to care. Ofcourse Prannoy Roy and NDTV have come a long way in news programming, but this was probably the best launching pad that they could have dreamt of.
...continued in the comments.....
