I still remember the day we got home a TV set, hooked on the antenna and had kids from the neighborhood sitting and staring at the static hoping to see something. But TV programs didn’t run fro 24 hours then. In fact the only thing aired at that time was news in the evening some time around 7 or 8 PM. But as TV sets became common, Doordarshan came out with the first TV serials of India that had audiences glued to every evening to their screens, away from Hawamahal on All India Radio.
First TV Serials of India
As the programming expanded, Doordarshan roped in some foreign content for kids with cartoons like Mickey Mouse, He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, and Famous Five that used to be aired on Sunday mornings. But there was a lot of original content too. Here are some of the first TV serials of India that have left an indelible mark on our television history.
Ladoosingh Taxiwala
Ladoosingh Taxiwala has the distinction of being the first TV serial in India. Starring Paintal as Sadaar the taxi driver in Delhi.
Hum Log
Hum Log was one of the first serials in India and revolved around a middle-class Indian family in the 80s. The story for the serial was written by Manohar Shyam Joshi and had actor Ashok Kumar as the narrator, whith Vinod Nagpal, Rajesh Puri, and Divya Seth as the main characters in this family drama.
Buniyaad
Manohar Shyam Joshi went on to write another serial that started in 1986. This one was directed by Ramesh Sippy and made Alok Nath, famous across India. Buniyaad serial also made Master haveliram and Lajvanti a household name.
Nukkad
Another unforgettable TV show from the early days of TV in India is Nukkad. Every time I hear this word, all I can think of is Hari (Pavan Malhotra) going round and round on his bicycle and Khopdi (Sameer Khakar) – the motorcycle guy with a cameo in Meri Pyaari Bindu.
Ye Jo Hai Zidagi
This may not be the first serial in India, but it is surely the first comedy TV show in India. After a string of family dramas, Ye Jo Hai Zindagi starring Shafi Inamdar and Rakesh Bedi came as a fresh breath of air. Written by Sharad Joshi, the serial also made satirical statements on our behavior, that hasn’t seen much change in the last 5 decades.
These programs, characters, and actors have left a mark that most TV viewers form the time will never forget. Tell us if you want to watch these tv serials on prime time again? Not excited, take a look at the first episodes of these classic Indian TV sitcoms.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNYQcuHKYODq50sg87nxTmsVEJm0ClYOe
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