My all-time Favourite TV shows [UBC Post 13]

OK for the nth time, let me repeat that I don’t watch TV any more. But all my life I have and there have been a handful of programs which still stand out in my memory.

DEKH BHAI DEKH
Image Courtesy: indiatimes.com

Dekh Bhai Dekh: I am sure each one of you remembers this laugh riot which featured Naveen Nishchhal, Fareeda Jalal, Shekhar Suman and Bhavna Balsavar amongst others like Sushma Seth and Divya Seth. I have watched Dekh Bhai Dekh several times but it never fails to break me into splits, over and over again. Moreover, if you really recall, so many of the TV stars of today appeared on that show – right from Urvashi Dholakia to Amar Upadhyay. I think, all the episodes are there on YouTube. It is also available on DVD now. Check here.

FRIENDS: Though I am sure it needs no introduction, FRIENDS is a popular American sitcom which was aired from 1994 to 2004. The re-runs were there on Star World and Zee Studio, the last time I watched TV. I had bought this complete Boxset because there was a time when I would spend the entire weekend watching FRIENDS episodes back to back. I have watched each episode several times but I still find them as funny as before. I even bought the coffee table book on FRIENDS which had several behind the scenes stories.

SMALL WONDER
Image courtesy: epguides.com

Small Wonder: Do you remember that adorable robot Vicki? The dubbed version of Small Wonder used to be my daily staple at 4.30 pm (later around 7 pm or so). The story of this small American family with a nosy neighbour’s daughter Harriet, was fun to watch. We would often lament ‘if we could also read the books like Vicki does’.

FARMAAN
Image courtesy: yourepeat.com

Farmaan: I don’t know why but this old Doordarshan serial keeps popping up in my memory. The story was very Mills and Boonish, starring Kanwaljit Singh, Deepika Deshpande and Raja Bundela. It had a very mushy, romantic appeal to it. I used to love the title song too and remember the lines

“har dil ko sunate hain farmaan mohabbat ka,

pyasa hai bohot pyasa insaan mohabbat ka”

SAANS
Image courtesy: tribuneindia.com

Saans: I don’t know how many of you remember this serial. It was directed by Neena Gupta, apart from starring in it. This also had Kanwaljit Singh and Kavita Kapoor. It is the story of a married couple (Neena Gupta-Kanwaljit) and the other woman (Kavita Kapoor). I would wait for this serial every day. My mother was bewildered of my fascination for this serial. I think I was in my 11^th or 12^th standard at that time.

Flop Show: Jaspal Bhatti was in a league of his own. Who can forget his satirical show of the 90s? It covered issues related to the common man and therefore everyone loved it and could identify with it. 

I used to watch The Jungle Book, Malgudi Days, Campus, and later, Different Strokes, the Nanny, Who’s the Boss too but they were like time pass though entertaining at that time. Ramayan, Mahabharat and Chanakya were also quite good. And will you believe it if I say I have never watched even a single episode of Chandrakanta or Shaktimaan? Do you remember what craze both these shows had?

I vaguely remember watching Udaan.

By the way, if you are someone who was born in 80s and grew up in 90s, you would also remember the haunted music of ‘Kile ka Rahasya’!

Rangoli and Chitrahaar were our only source of entertainment when I was in college hostel. We had only DD.

In last couple of years, I used to enjoy Khichdi and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.

I wish I could tell you a few shows from Star World or some food channel or some travel and lifestyle channel, it would have really sounded cool. But unfortunately, I have saved myself from the trappings of following Seasons after Seasons of different shows. I have very limited time on hand in a day for myself, which I would rather spend in reading or writing. I resist any other temptation that would keep me away from my real passions.

But, I am convinced those programs were 100 times better than the regressive shows of today which are ruling the tube.

So do you recall any of your favourite shows from old times?