GOOD OLD DAYS ARE BACK ON TV
Doordarshan has decided to air some iconic TV serials of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Actors of the era are elated with the plan, as are other celeb fans of these shows
Remember the popular TV series from the ‘80s and ‘90s, including Circus, Hum Log, Buniyaad, Wagle Ki Duniya, and Malgudi Days? Recreating the nostalgia and revisiting their archives, national TV channel Doordarshan plans to bring back these iconic shows. The channel has already started airing special episodes of actor Shah Rukh Khan’s hit TV series Circus (1989).
Actors who were part of that era, are elated with the decision. As are other fans of those serials. Actor Annu Kapoor, who helmed the popular ‘90s show, Antakshari, is impressed that there’s still a market for these shows. “Since these serials are from the past era, they are far better than most of the TV soaps being made today. Since viewers are looking for change, I think they’ll accept these serials,” says Kapoor.
Mandira Bedi, who was the lead actor in India’s first daily soap, Shanti, feels these serials will be a welcome break from the saas-bahu serials that are made today. “I’m sure people would love to see RK Narayan’s life on screen in Malgudi Days or find out how Shah Rukh acted in his early days when he did Fauji. So there’s enough motivation,” says Bedi. Filmmaker Anurag Basu hopes that these timeless serials will elevate the taste of the Indian audience and makers of modern-day serials. “I wish that today’s clueless television programming takes a cue from the past,” he says.
The channel also intends to fix a prime half-hour slot for these classics to ensure maximum viewership. It also wants to find new sponsors to support the reruns. “I really hope Doordarshan is able to market these shows well so that people watch them,” says Bedi.
All these shows are landmarks of Indian television and good content will always be relevant to any generation
RAM KAPOOR, ACTOR
I don’t like the content on TV these days. The ‘90s shows were ahead of time and people would love to watch them even today
MONA SINGH, ACTOR
Let’s not forget our roots, especially the one medium that has played such a crucial part in our life
URVASHI DHOLAKIA, ACTOR