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.
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| 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.
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| 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’.
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| 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”
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| SAANS Image courtesy: tribuneindia.com |
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?
