A Small Trip Down Memory Lanes?..
When a lower middle class family walked into our bedrooms in 1984 with names like Badki, Majhli, Chhotki, Laloo and Nanhe, we hardly knew that this was going to be the first step in a memorable journey. Hamlog was soon joined by Ye Jo Hai Zindagi and both of them entertained us like never before.
Soon we witnessed the upcoming of several wholesome family entertainers, which had humour, but no double meaning, which had suspense, but no gruesome act, which had family values, which taught us the Indian social systems. All these were done with minimum fuss.
With Buniyaad and Ramayan, Ramesh Sippy and Ramanand Sagar brought a bit of Bollywood to the TV arena. From low end down to earth styles, we got to see more professionalism like that of movies. Post Mahabharat, i.e. early 1990s, we saw the mushrooming of cable channels. On one end, DD was still producing quality serials and on the other hand, the new channels were experimenting with innovative concepts.
Then we saw a fall in the quality of serias. This was probably to meet the requirements of more than 200 episodes of serials in a week. This is a big jump from mere 10-15 episodes that we saw in DD days. Serials were dragged beyond acceptable limits and they lost the logic.
However, wven today we keep on getting glimpses of great serials in the making. But I wish that they stop the serials after giving it a logical conclusion.
I am not saying that all the serials of today are bad, but they have a long way to go to meet the quality standards of years goneby.
Jane kahan gaye wo din?..
About the Review
I am listing down only the serials that I watched. I have categorized them to 10 categories and my attempt is to pick 1 serial per category.
1.CHILDRENS? SERIALS
The Runners-up Are:
Ek Do Teen Char was a serial that was inspired by Enid Blyton and was quite original in presentation. The Mickey and Donad Showwas probably the most popular childrens? serial of its times.
The Winner Is:
A serial which was made on children, but appreciated by all, a serial that taught values, but never preached, a serial that spoke of hostel life, but spoke of bonding. Yes, you got it? it was Neev.I wish, we had more serials like this.
2.COMEDY
The Runners-up Are:
Dekh Bhai Dekh was a hilarious comedy that makes us laugh even today. On the other hand, Office Office is a more serious and class comedy, that brings out the corruption in the systems.
The Winner Is:
No prizes for guessing? it has to be Ye Jo Hai Zindagi.A comedy, which is at the top slot from the early days of TV till date and will be there for years to come.
3.SOCIAL SATIRES
The Runners-up Are:
Mungerilal ki Haseen Sapneywas more of a comedy that brought smiles to our faces, with a very subtle touch on social issues. Nukkad was a landmark serial of the down but not out people with a social theme.
The Winner Is:
Ta na na na na na na? does this remind you of anything? The witty works of a master writer was portrayed in TV with eyes to perfection. It was Malgudi Days?. A story of every village and every family.
4.FAMILY DRAMA
The Runners-up Are:
Hum Log was the first serial and the first family drama. It depicted the lower middle class pretty well. Panchhi was made at a time when I ndia had still not woken up to the call of NRIs.
The Winner Is:
Buniyaadwas not a mere serial.. it was the ?buinyaad? of modern Indian TV viewing. There was a time, when people used to stop guests from visiting their houses as they had to watch Buniyaad?.
5.DRAMA WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
The Runners-up Are:
Rajnidealt with the social issues that affect our daily lives. On the other hand, Chunautiwas a class serial that dealt with the issue of drug abuse among youth.
The Winner Is:
There was a serial that shook people of India out of their slumber, a serial that hit the audience with an impact as never seen before, the serial that dealt with the burning issue of terrorism in Punjab. It was Tamas,a name that chills my body even today.
6.DRAMA: GENERAL
The Runners-up Are:
Faujiwas a serial with a difference. Other than introducing Shahrukh Khan to the acting world, it also remains the first serial on the life of armymen. At the same time Kab Tak Pukaroon was the story of a man fallen from his kingdom with the advent of Britishers. Pankaj Kapoor was phenomenal in this serial.
The Winner Is:
Today we talk of modern day viewing and new age serials. But the very foundation was laid by Swabhiman.A daily soap, that combined business with family, the talked of ethics vs. greed, that spoke of extra marital affair in a very open tone and a serial that reached out to every boardroom and bedroom equally.
7.SUSPENSE THRILLERS
The Runners-up Are:
Karamchand was the first household detective name that Indians came to know, probably more popular than Sherlock Holmes at that time. CIDhas been a police crime story running for years without being predictable.
The Winner Is:
A detective serial with a difference. Here we neither had a flamboyant detective nor modern day technology. Stories were different in each episode, still underlying contuinity was maintained. In true sense, Basu Chatterjee created a down to earth and common man detective in Vyomkesh Bakshi.
8.MYTHOLOGICAL/ FANTASIES
The Runners-up Are:
After so many years of TV, Ramayanwas the first major epic to be telecast. It was the first traffic stopper and was high on melodrama. On the contrast, Chandrakanta was high on action and strong on twists and sub plots.
The Winner Is:
Again, no prizes for guessing. The mega movie maker, BR Chopra broke the myth that TV is only for small budget viewing. So strong was its impact that whole of India stopped working during that one hour every week. Never before and never after have we seen such popularity. Atha Shri Mahabharat Katha!!
9.GAME SHOWS/ REALITY SHOWS
The Runners-up Are:
Zee TV?s surge to the peak of popularity was enhanced by two music based shows: TVS Sa re Ga Maand Close-up Antakshari. Both the programs were on music, but were extremely well conceptualized and compered.
The Winner Is:
Kau banegaa winner?? Any doubts? Of course? KBC.The program that changed the entire concept of game shows and it made a fallen hero bounce back to stardom. Extremely well conceived, presented, lighted etc, this will go down in Indian tele history as grteatest game show ever.
(CONCLUDED IN
