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Time Business News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
Indian Serials That Changed the Television Industry
Indian television has come a long way from its humble beginnings with Doordarshan to becoming a vibrant industry filled with diverse content. Over the years, many Indian serials have not just entertained millions but also reshaped the way audiences consume content. These iconic shows broke boundaries, challenged social norms, and redefined storytelling, ultimately changing the face of the Indian television industry. In this article, we explore Indian serials that left a lasting impact, not only due to their popularity but also because of their role in revolutionizing Indian TV content. 'Hum Log' holds the distinction of being India's first television soap opera. Broadcast on Doordarshan in 1984, this serial was more than just entertainment it was a mirror to the average Indian middle-class family. Created by Manohar Shyam Joshi, the show dealt with everyday struggles, aspirations, and societal issues, such as unemployment, dowry, and gender inequality. Impact: Introduced the concept of a serial with an ongoing storyline. Created emotional connections with characters. Set the stage for narrative storytelling in Indian TV. Directed by Ramanand Sagar, 'Ramayan' became a cultural phenomenon. With millions tuning in weekly, the streets would go empty during its telecast. Based on the Hindu epic, it became a nationwide spiritual experience, uniting people of different backgrounds and other showpm show. Impact: Proved the massive potential of mythological content. Garnered record-breaking TRP ratings. Established television as a powerful cultural tool. Following the success of 'Ramayan,' B.R. Chopra's 'Mahabharat' took Indian mythological storytelling to the next level. With a massive ensemble cast and high production values for its time, the show became a weekly ritual for millions. Impact: Set a new standard for epic TV productions. Influenced later generations of mythological shows. Demonstrated the value of serialized storytelling from Indian epics. 'Shanti,' starring Mandira Bedi, was a game changer as India's first daily soap. It followed the journey of a strong, independent woman uncovering dark secrets of a powerful family. Impact: Highlighted strong female protagonists. Popularized the daily soap format in India. Tackled serious social issues and empowered female voices. Produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms, this show redefined Indian family dramas. With Tulsi Virani as its central character, it became a household name and ran for over 1,800 episodes. Impact: Established the 'saas-bahu' genre as a television staple. Made Ekta Kapoor a dominant force in the TV industry. Opened doors for a flood of similar family centric shows. Launched around the same time as 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,' this serial focused on Parvati, a devoted daughter in law navigating family conflicts with grace and strength. The emotional connect and relatable content made it a massive hit. Impact: Reinforced family values and traditions. Inspired hundreds of serials with similar formats. Became a cultural reference point for Indian families. With ACP Pradyuman, Daya, and Abhijeet, 'CID' offered a refreshing break from family dramas. The show's unique crime-investigation format, along with its catchphrases like 'Daya, darwaza tod do,' became iconic. Impact: Popularized the crime-thriller genre on Indian TV. Inspired spin-offs and parodies. Maintained fan loyalty for two decades. Hosted by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, 'KBC' brought the quiz show format to India in an emotionally engaging way. It offered not just money but a dream for millions across the country. Impact: Blended entertainment with education. Brought real-life stories of hope and struggle into the spotlight. Elevated the standard of Indian reality shows. 'Balika Vadhu' tackled the issue of child marriage head-on, making it one of the most socially relevant shows in Indian television history. It followed the life of Anandi, a child bride, and how she grew into a strong, independent woman. Impact: Addressed deep-rooted societal issues. Encouraged public discussions and debate. Influenced government campaigns on child marriage. A more recent example, 'Anupamaa' presents the story of a middle aged homemaker who reclaims her identity after years of being taken for granted. It reflects the modern Indian woman's journey of self discovery and empowerment. Impact: Broke stereotypes about age and gender roles. Gained massive popularity across age groups. Showcased the evolving mindset of Indian audiences. These trailblazing Indian serials did more than just entertain they transformed television into a powerful medium for social change, cultural expression, and emotional connection. Whether it was mythological epics like 'Ramayan' or progressive dramas like 'Anupamaa,' each show contributed to shaping the Indian television landscape. As OTT platforms and streaming services rise, the legacy of these legendary shows continues to inspire modern content creators. Their stories, characters, and themes remind us of how impactful well-crafted television can be. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Review of Tempest on River Silent by Sandeep Khanna
A few friends from school decide to visit another of their ilk in London for a reunion. Amid all the sight-seeing, laughter and nostalgia, the men, now in their 50s, persuade their friend Sandeep to write a book about India. Thus was born the idea of this warmly written bildungsroman that follows the protagonist and his friends from their innocent, playful school days of the 70s in Delhi to the complexities of being senior professionals in 21st century contemporary India. The narrative is held together by the two main characters, Devavratt (Dev) and Eklavya (Luv), as the novel juxtaposes description with a conversational style of writing. The 70s was a testing decade of political and economic upheaval in India, marked by significant social changes and a search for self-definition. The story begins with the author recounting his school and college days in a series of flashbacks about friendship, pranks, teachers, girlfriends, families, festivals, triumphs and failures, while deftly weaving in the changes wrought by the transition from socialism to a market-based economy. These chapters also stir up memories that many of us grew up with — buying half a loaf of bread, drinking Campa Cola or savouring Nirula's ice-cream, watching family dramas such as Hum Log or Ramayana on colour TV for the first time, driving a Maruti 800, the rise of cricketer Tendulkar, the Emergency, Indira Gandhi's defeat, and so on. Force of change In the 90s, when economic liberalisation was sweeping India, Dev and his contemporaries were early-career professionals, chasing their dreams, travelling across the country on work. The book captures their career graph as they ambitiously juggle work and family as well as the larger cultural and economic changes in all its beauty, diversity and irony. Nationalism, spirituality, materialism, happiness, loneliness and death are deliberated and argued upon when the friends meet, as they strive to strike a balance. During one of their spirited discussions about 'right and wrong', Luv concludes they are both machinations of the mind. Dev concurs, asserting that 'right and wrong cannot be cast in stone'. Through the protagonist's journey, the book explores change and the challenges it presents; modernity vis-à-vis tradition, time-tested values versus pressures of modern life, home-life balance against professional success. Dev's dilemma, seemingly, is reflected in the book's title, Tempest on River Silent, a metaphor for the unsettling forces of change (tempest) and everlasting tradition (silent river). Will the normally phlegmatic Dev be able to face the tempest of change? Or will his life remain a calmly flowing, silent river? The author, a management professional with a penchant for sports, poetry, history and travel, has endeavoured in writing a book covering the last 50 years in India, elaborating on what he and his friends would often discuss — 'the change we have experienced in India in our lifetime has been breathtaking'. The unrestrained details — about college life, work and more — can be tedious in spots, however, making the book a bulky read at 640 pages. The reviewer is a Bengaluru-based independent journalist.
India.com
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress who made debut at 42, worked in over 120 films, still failed to become a star, name is..., Shah Rukh Khan is her daughter's...
Meet actress who made debut at 42, worked in over 120 films, still failed to become a star, name is..., Shah Rukh Khan is her daughter's... There are several actresses in Bollywood who start their careers at young age, rise to stardom, and often quit acting after marriage. However, actress Sushmita Seth followed a very different path. She made her acting debut at 42, starred in some of the biggest hit films, worked with superstars like Rishi Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan, but still never became a superstar. Sushma Seth began her theatre journey in the 1950s. Later on, she became one of the founders of the Delhi-based theatre group Yatrik in 1964. She first made her Bollywood debut with the 1978 film Junoon at the age of 42, and soon became a popular name in the world of television and films. After starring in television shows like Hum Log and Dekh Bhai Dekh, she portrayed numerous roles and characters in prominent films such as Prem Rog, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Naagin, Deewana, Kal Ho Na Ho, and Dhahdkan, among others. Her roles as mother and grandmother in several movies garnered her immense praise. Credited with acting in over 120 films, the actress has received several awards including the Bharat Nirman Award and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
India.com
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Seema Pahwa breaks silence on quitting acting: 'Unhe samjha nahi pati...'
Actress Seema Pahwa clarified that she is not quitting the industry and also shared a fear that, somewhere, she might lose her creativity. Seema's comments come after a news article, where the actress revealed that she was considering quitting films due to the industry due to business-minded decisions starting to do the rounds. The actress, who rose to prominence for her role of Badki in the popular soap opera Hum Log , took to Instagram and wrote, 'Namskar Kuch dino se ek baat Jo mann Mai ghar kar rahi hai aur sach bhi hai wo ye Ki mujhe interview dena nahi aata ya jab apni baat keheti Hun to shayad Jo interview le rahe hai unhe samjha nahi pati Baat ye hai Ki bhai mujhe film industry se bahut pyaar aur samman mila hai aur aage bhi milta rahe.' (For the past few days, there's something that's been occupying my mind, and it's the truth that I don't know how to give interviews, or when I try to speak, maybe I fail to convey my message properly to the interviewers. The thing is, I have received a lot of love and respect from the film industry, and I hope to continue receiving it in the future.) She added: 'Mujhe shikayat nahi hai kisi se bhi Bas ek dar hai ki kahin hum dheere dheere creativity khatam na kar de Shayad mere ye shabd thik tarah se kehe nahi paye aur sabne samjha Ki Mai industry chode rahi Hun I love my industry.' (I have no complaints about anyone. It's just a fear that somewhere, slowly, I might lose my creativity. Maybe I haven't expressed myself well, and people misunderstood it, thinking that I want to leave the industry. But I love my industry.) The actress, who made her directorial debut with Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi in 2021, wrote in the caption, 'Bahut jald hi apni dusri film banana chahungi, 'I would like to make my second film very soon.'
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Seema Pahwa refuses to train 'nepo kids' when asked to do so; says Hindi cinema is selling faces, not story: 'Why not get trained actors?'
Seema Pahwa known for her iconic television show 'Hum Log' and being such a known face in Hindi cinema with recent movies like 'Badhaai Do', 'Bareily Ki Barfi' among others is a theatre artiste. She and her husband Manoj Pahwa who is also a known actor, have largely begun concentrating on plays. In a recent interview, Seema opened up on the current trend within the industry of launching star kids who don't really know anything. She revealed she is often asked to train them but refuses to do so. Seema revealed that she has told her own children to train themselves in acting before they even decide to be a part of any movie. Her children are now training with theatre. "They believe their decision is wrong. They say nothing that we've taught them has any value in the present system. They rue the fact that we made them actors, and not stars," she said. Further talking about star kids, she said, "Why would I say star kids shouldn't come to cinema. Just like how I want my kids to move ahead, even others would have similar expectations, right? There are so many actors who are trained from FTII or NSD, etc… why aren't they getting cast in any film. I know of someone who is an acting graduate and a theatre artist , who quit acting and left the city because of lack of offers." She further added how film-makers have reached out to her to train star kids but she has refused. "Earlier, directors and producers had the say, and that's why you had talent coming in from all over. Now, it is more of a package system that is brought into place to launch someone into films. In fact, some filmmakers reach out to me to train an actor, and do workshops with them. But I flatly refuse to do so," she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Further revealing the reason for it, she revealed, "Why not just use trained actors instead of bringing untrained people on board, and then teaching them acting. Give the deserving a chance. What new are these untrained actors going to bring to cinema? Why waste that money and investment." She also said that Hindi cinema is now selling a face, not a story.
