It’s nostalgic going down memory lane to the Era of Doordarshan, our national channel and remembering those DD Shows with which we all have grown up. We are perhaps the only generation to have grown up with the amazing work of creativity on Indian television. There is so much to cherish in our memories.
We all feel like going back in time to the days when we had only one TV channel in India - Doordarshan which was a big part of our childhood days. Those 'Malgudi Days', 'Hum Log', 'Jungle Book', 'Byomkesh Bakshi', 'Flop Show with Jaspal Bhatti', the epics of 'Ramayan' and 'Mahabharat'. and so much more. The generation after us can only remember the more melodramatic ‘Kyunki Saans Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ types.
Today we have an overdose of the ‘K’ serials, which are having an influence our lives and relationship and just dragging for years and years taking numerous twists and turns from the original concept, and leaving you confused and irritated. All it is capable of is spreading tears, manipulation, wickedness, and tons of make up. Most TV programmes today are not dramas but ‘bad-parodies’. They often display a high level of tension, frustration, and conflict. Somehow most of the settings are in middle to upper middle, or high, class families that often live in plush homes in virtually interchangeable suburbs.
On the other hand, it seems that the Indian Television is getting over obsessed with the 'Reality' show concept. Almost every T.V channel has some talent hunt show going on be it singing, acting, dancing, fashion -practically everything one can do under the sun. In short, it’s a monumental cultural wasteland on TV- a travesty of game shows and endless commercials - of screaming presenters, tacky shows, cajoling and often offensive.
Somehow the ‘idiot’ box has gone for a complete overhaul than that existed before the arrival of ‘cable’ network. Television in India was not so common then, and yet, people found a set somewhere to watch. If a neighbour had a TV, you would go there to watch, or go over to a relative's place. In smaller towns or villages, a single set would have a large number of people watching the single set. Doordarshan was surprisingly not so detached from its viewer’s needs and sentiments in those days.
As to the weekly serials, musical programmes like 'Rangoli' on Sunday mornings and 'Chitrahaar' were eternal favorites of everyone. None can beat the fame of Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan' or B.R.Chopra's 'Mahabharat'. The effect was apparent. Roads would be empty when the serial came, and woes betide an electricity board office if the light would go off; people would gather and raise slogans and threaten. At one time, it set a record for the world's most watched mythological serial. In addition, it opened the floodgates for more mythological and historical serials after that. These serials were a treat to watch at a time when special effects were just beginning to take giant strides in Hollywood movies.
For cultural program enthusiasts there was ‘Spirit of Unity Concert’ and the popular 'Surabhi' hosted by Siddarth Kak and Renuka. The question asked at the end of Surabhi used to invoke response from people all over India sending their answers through postcards. May be it was the first Indian programme that started the concept of contests and postal department had to start competition post cards.
At a time when people had not heard of Discovery Channel and when National Geographic Channel books were read by a few, that wonderful German channel TRANSTEL used to telecast wonderful programs on wildlife. Then there were those National Integration and informative strips - 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara' and 'Ek Chidiya'.
But what ailed DD were the usual problems faced by a Government entity- Bureaucracy, red-tape and a general lack of accountability in the Department. Today it just exists, viewed regularly only in the remotest of places, and, in the coming years, even that elite viewer-ship seems improbable.
Doordarshan was truly a balanced diet. Balanced diet for our brain, our mind! No matter how long one watches the same channel, everyone used to get something, not only entertainment but also some knowledge, not only about our history but also about mythology, science, music, our culture and life and people of other places.
In short, the serials of those days had good story line, catchy and well meant dialogues, stellar performances from every actor, fewer commercials and more important a reasonable duration. At its helm, it truly gave us some memorable moments.
We all feel like going back in time to the days when we had only one TV channel in India - Doordarshan which was a big part of our childhood days. Those 'Malgudi Days', 'Hum Log', 'Jungle Book', 'Byomkesh Bakshi', 'Flop Show with Jaspal Bhatti', the epics of 'Ramayan' and 'Mahabharat'. and so much more. The generation after us can only remember the more melodramatic ‘Kyunki Saans Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ types.
Today we have an overdose of the ‘K’ serials, which are having an influence our lives and relationship and just dragging for years and years taking numerous twists and turns from the original concept, and leaving you confused and irritated. All it is capable of is spreading tears, manipulation, wickedness, and tons of make up. Most TV programmes today are not dramas but ‘bad-parodies’. They often display a high level of tension, frustration, and conflict. Somehow most of the settings are in middle to upper middle, or high, class families that often live in plush homes in virtually interchangeable suburbs.
On the other hand, it seems that the Indian Television is getting over obsessed with the 'Reality' show concept. Almost every T.V channel has some talent hunt show going on be it singing, acting, dancing, fashion -practically everything one can do under the sun. In short, it’s a monumental cultural wasteland on TV- a travesty of game shows and endless commercials - of screaming presenters, tacky shows, cajoling and often offensive.
Somehow the ‘idiot’ box has gone for a complete overhaul than that existed before the arrival of ‘cable’ network. Television in India was not so common then, and yet, people found a set somewhere to watch. If a neighbour had a TV, you would go there to watch, or go over to a relative's place. In smaller towns or villages, a single set would have a large number of people watching the single set. Doordarshan was surprisingly not so detached from its viewer’s needs and sentiments in those days.
As to the weekly serials, musical programmes like 'Rangoli' on Sunday mornings and 'Chitrahaar' were eternal favorites of everyone. None can beat the fame of Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan' or B.R.Chopra's 'Mahabharat'. The effect was apparent. Roads would be empty when the serial came, and woes betide an electricity board office if the light would go off; people would gather and raise slogans and threaten. At one time, it set a record for the world's most watched mythological serial. In addition, it opened the floodgates for more mythological and historical serials after that. These serials were a treat to watch at a time when special effects were just beginning to take giant strides in Hollywood movies.
For cultural program enthusiasts there was ‘Spirit of Unity Concert’ and the popular 'Surabhi' hosted by Siddarth Kak and Renuka. The question asked at the end of Surabhi used to invoke response from people all over India sending their answers through postcards. May be it was the first Indian programme that started the concept of contests and postal department had to start competition post cards.
At a time when people had not heard of Discovery Channel and when National Geographic Channel books were read by a few, that wonderful German channel TRANSTEL used to telecast wonderful programs on wildlife. Then there were those National Integration and informative strips - 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara' and 'Ek Chidiya'.
But what ailed DD were the usual problems faced by a Government entity- Bureaucracy, red-tape and a general lack of accountability in the Department. Today it just exists, viewed regularly only in the remotest of places, and, in the coming years, even that elite viewer-ship seems improbable.
Doordarshan was truly a balanced diet. Balanced diet for our brain, our mind! No matter how long one watches the same channel, everyone used to get something, not only entertainment but also some knowledge, not only about our history but also about mythology, science, music, our culture and life and people of other places.
In short, the serials of those days had good story line, catchy and well meant dialogues, stellar performances from every actor, fewer commercials and more important a reasonable duration. At its helm, it truly gave us some memorable moments.
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