There was a time when Indian TV was not just watchable, but really good. It was a time when scriptwriters wrote good script, actors acted brilliantly, and a page of dialogues didn’t last the whole episode. And there was a distinct feeling of happiness and attachment to the TV shows. Then Kyunki… happened, and the whole industry went to shit, quite literally. Producers finally knew what the cocaine of housewives was – saas-bahu melodrama. And just like drug peddlers, they dished out cocaine in various forms like – Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kusum and other unspeakable acts of torture. It is because of these crybaby shows, kids today will never know the glory days of Indian television. The shows that actually impacted daily lives of people who watched them. Hum Paanch – the first show where the cast of women carried it through While today’s shows are peppered with women wearing expensive sarees and jewellery, going about their household drama, Hum Paanch had a layered approach to women. On the surface, it was a comedy, but it talked about serious women-related issues like independence, feminism and marriage in a very light vein.

Shrimaan Shrimati – the show that accurately portrayed the changing face of India.

It was one of the most popular TV shows to be aired on Doordarshan. Comic characters like Keshu have not been seen on TV since. This show too highlighted the nuances of families and couples effectively.

Byomkesh Bakshi – the show that detective series should get inspired from

We had our own Sherlock in the form of Byomkesh Bakshi and it was played perfectly by Rajit Kapur. And because all the cases were taken from the novels, not one episode was less than intriguing. Unlike CID.