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Here I will review the Indian TV serials I liked . I know this is a movie forum , but I hope no one objects....
Indian TV serials thread---Ashdoc's reviews
Sailaab ( The flood )
'Sailaab' was one of the 'extramarital affairs serials' popular at that time ( 90s ) on Zee TV , the other being 'Hasratein' ( desires ).
The serial shows two young lovers in love with one another in Mumbai/Bombay---Sachin Khedekar and Renuka Shahane . Sachin is struggling in the ad industry , and has come from another town . He is a hard worker , but does not have much money . But big city girl Renuka Shahane is bowled over by his honesty and simplicity and soon they are in love . They meet secretly and later openly and seem perfect for each other .
But Renuka's big brother Raju Kher is not impressed . He is okay as far as Sachin is coming to his house as Renuka's friend , but is dead against the marriage . Reason---Sachin is not equal to his family financially . Of course , he feels Sachin is a good boy and has nothing against him . But does not want him to marry his sister . Raju has big dreams of marrying his beloved sister to a rich man , and asks her to cut off the relationship .
But Renuka decides to elope with Sachin . When Raju hears of this he pours petrol on himself and threatens to kill himself by burning himself to death if Renuka elopes . Under severe pressure Renuka crumbles and agrees to end the relationship . When Sachin hears of this he is devastated . At the same time he hears of his father's death and the world collapses around him .
Renuka is married off to another person , a rich doctor played first by Ajinkya Dev and later by Mahesh Thakur---the change in actors being a phenomena of long TV serials . And Sachin---he rises like a phoenix from the ashes to work hard and carve a name for himself . Yes , he becomes a successful man . Prajakti Deshmukh , who is Renuka's friend marries him . She has known of his former love and is warned by her parents that Sachin has not got over his love for Renuka , but she disregards this advice and marries Sachin . Her parents are opposed to the marriage and do not attend the marriage .
Years later Sachin's and Renuka's paths cross again , and old sparks fly again . They discover that they never stopped loving each other . And they want to meet---again and again . Clandestine meetings are sought and they begin to date again on the sly . Soon they realise that if they cannot meet even for a single day then they feel an emptiness....On the surface they pretend to be happy in the respective marriages but reality is different .
So what will happen when their respective partners ( Prajakti Deshmukh and Mahesh Thakur ) discover what is happening ? Will it lead to Sailaab---the flood....
Watch the serial for that . It is available fully on youtube .
On seeing a few episodes of the serial on youtube recently , I was struck by how old the serial looks . No HD format , no wide screen format---for it was made 20 years ago when TV had not switched to this technology . The world was of the early nineties---so no mobile phones . The era was old too---women did not smoke or drink even when the people shown were sophisticated city people because westernization had not seeped in at that time. Above all , even when the lovers meet in restaurants there is not sex or even kissing---the relationship between Sachin and Shivani remains physically chaste all the time because the Indian middle class audience which watched the serial at that time ( 90s ) was not prepared for that .
This being a TV serial , everything happens in slow motion---for the whole story is to be dragged over 90+ episodes of 23 minutes each . But the serial is embellished with superb songs by Talat Aziz and the late Jagjit Singh , and these heighten the emotion and sensitivity of the scenes . Indeed music is the high point of the serial , and it has many emotional scenes acted very well .
The serial went on to become a success , and was ZEE TV's number one serial at that time . Ravi Rai who directed it became a much sought after director , directing other TV serials like 'Teacher' . Years later watching the serial on youtube today , I found myself again interested....
'Sailaab' was one of the 'extramarital affairs serials' popular at that time ( 90s ) on Zee TV , the other being 'Hasratein' ( desires ).
The serial shows two young lovers in love with one another in Mumbai/Bombay---Sachin Khedekar and Renuka Shahane . Sachin is struggling in the ad industry , and has come from another town . He is a hard worker , but does not have much money . But big city girl Renuka Shahane is bowled over by his honesty and simplicity and soon they are in love . They meet secretly and later openly and seem perfect for each other .
But Renuka's big brother Raju Kher is not impressed . He is okay as far as Sachin is coming to his house as Renuka's friend , but is dead against the marriage . Reason---Sachin is not equal to his family financially . Of course , he feels Sachin is a good boy and has nothing against him . But does not want him to marry his sister . Raju has big dreams of marrying his beloved sister to a rich man , and asks her to cut off the relationship .
But Renuka decides to elope with Sachin . When Raju hears of this he pours petrol on himself and threatens to kill himself by burning himself to death if Renuka elopes . Under severe pressure Renuka crumbles and agrees to end the relationship . When Sachin hears of this he is devastated . At the same time he hears of his father's death and the world collapses around him .
Renuka is married off to another person , a rich doctor played first by Ajinkya Dev and later by Mahesh Thakur---the change in actors being a phenomena of long TV serials . And Sachin---he rises like a phoenix from the ashes to work hard and carve a name for himself . Yes , he becomes a successful man . Prajakti Deshmukh , who is Renuka's friend marries him . She has known of his former love and is warned by her parents that Sachin has not got over his love for Renuka , but she disregards this advice and marries Sachin . Her parents are opposed to the marriage and do not attend the marriage .
Years later Sachin's and Renuka's paths cross again , and old sparks fly again . They discover that they never stopped loving each other . And they want to meet---again and again . Clandestine meetings are sought and they begin to date again on the sly . Soon they realise that if they cannot meet even for a single day then they feel an emptiness....On the surface they pretend to be happy in the respective marriages but reality is different .
So what will happen when their respective partners ( Prajakti Deshmukh and Mahesh Thakur ) discover what is happening ? Will it lead to Sailaab---the flood....
Watch the serial for that . It is available fully on youtube .
On seeing a few episodes of the serial on youtube recently , I was struck by how old the serial looks . No HD format , no wide screen format---for it was made 20 years ago when TV had not switched to this technology . The world was of the early nineties---so no mobile phones . The era was old too---women did not smoke or drink even when the people shown were sophisticated city people because westernization had not seeped in at that time. Above all , even when the lovers meet in restaurants there is not sex or even kissing---the relationship between Sachin and Shivani remains physically chaste all the time because the Indian middle class audience which watched the serial at that time ( 90s ) was not prepared for that .
This being a TV serial , everything happens in slow motion---for the whole story is to be dragged over 90+ episodes of 23 minutes each . But the serial is embellished with superb songs by Talat Aziz and the late Jagjit Singh , and these heighten the emotion and sensitivity of the scenes . Indeed music is the high point of the serial , and it has many emotional scenes acted very well .
The serial went on to become a success , and was ZEE TV's number one serial at that time . Ravi Rai who directed it became a much sought after director , directing other TV serials like 'Teacher' . Years later watching the serial on youtube today , I found myself again interested....
Devon kay dev mahadev !! ( The God of all the gods )
I have watched about 38 episodes and I like it already...
Rich and vibrant in colours , with grand sets and scintillating music that touches your heart , is presented a myth and legend of my land that is India.....
I never realised that ancient tales of our land and culture could be so beautifully presented on celluloid....
And it rekindled my interest in hindu mythology like never before.....
When I was a child my grandmother used to narrate stories from scriptures to me religiously every night . And I used to listen with rapt attention---that's because she had a gift of a storyteller.....
After a long time I got interested in hindu mythology again---thanks to this serial.....
I hope the story of sati and shiva ( hindu god and his wife ) has a happy ending....I really hope so.....
AAAAHHH sati.....so lovely , frail , delicate , fair , soft.....
The God should forgive me for dreaming about his consort at nights lately ......actually I am dreaming about that actress......I dont even know her name....
In fact all the women in the serial are so goodlooking---with such tender skin.....
And their clothes partially exposing them....
Did our women really wear such clothes during that era ??....Oh , I wish I was born then.....
But leaving aside matters of passion.....I have never been so proud of being a hindu....
Such fantastic stories our culture invented during that era
All rich in eternal wisdom of the ancients.....
Stories of love , betrayal , hate , revenge and anger and above all the search for truth....
Stories that would put both hollywood and bollywood to shame.....
Oh , I love my land and its people.....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And in the midst of celebrations of a festival in sati's household arrives madanike , who is a prostitute......
and the amazing thing is that madanike is allowed to roam about among the respectable ladies of the house !! in fact , she is welcomed by the ladies with utmost respect and sati's father to accepts her entry into the house .
so prostitutes had their own place in society during those times , and were accepted as part of it . madanike actually takes part in the celebrations of the festival in sati's father's household .
in fact ,the freedom enjoyed by women during those times would be the envy of todays women , especially in north india .
no covering clothes.....
in fact , clothes which are quite exposing......
freedom to go alone anywhere....
freedom to mix among men not of one's household......
whatever happened that women became enslaved in ghoonghat later....??
i guess it must be the effect of the invasions of foreign invaders and the need to hide women from the prying eyes of invaders , what else......
and the god of fallen women like madanike is our very own shiva ( the god of all the gods )---for he alone is capable of showing the largeheartedness to accept the prayers of fallen women like her.....
he is not bound by laws of society and does not live according to its rigid rules. for him , a prostitute is the same as a respectable lady ; prayers of both are equal to him....
on the other hand , vishnu ( the other hindu god ) is bound by rules of society ; rules which indeed , he is oath bound to preserve and therefore prostitutes like madanike dont pray to him.....
all of which makes shiva the much more endearing god---the god who accepts everybody.....
i have become his fan lately......
in fact ,if somebody proves to me ( i am an atheist ) that he really exists , i will pray to him......
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The good thing about these serials is that the hindi language is pure like in olden times .
Must watch these serials to brush up my hindi .
I have watched about 38 episodes and I like it already...
Rich and vibrant in colours , with grand sets and scintillating music that touches your heart , is presented a myth and legend of my land that is India.....
I never realised that ancient tales of our land and culture could be so beautifully presented on celluloid....
And it rekindled my interest in hindu mythology like never before.....
When I was a child my grandmother used to narrate stories from scriptures to me religiously every night . And I used to listen with rapt attention---that's because she had a gift of a storyteller.....
After a long time I got interested in hindu mythology again---thanks to this serial.....
I hope the story of sati and shiva ( hindu god and his wife ) has a happy ending....I really hope so.....
AAAAHHH sati.....so lovely , frail , delicate , fair , soft.....
The God should forgive me for dreaming about his consort at nights lately ......actually I am dreaming about that actress......I dont even know her name....
In fact all the women in the serial are so goodlooking---with such tender skin.....
And their clothes partially exposing them....
Did our women really wear such clothes during that era ??....Oh , I wish I was born then.....
But leaving aside matters of passion.....I have never been so proud of being a hindu....
Such fantastic stories our culture invented during that era
All rich in eternal wisdom of the ancients.....
Stories of love , betrayal , hate , revenge and anger and above all the search for truth....
Stories that would put both hollywood and bollywood to shame.....
Oh , I love my land and its people.....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And in the midst of celebrations of a festival in sati's household arrives madanike , who is a prostitute......
and the amazing thing is that madanike is allowed to roam about among the respectable ladies of the house !! in fact , she is welcomed by the ladies with utmost respect and sati's father to accepts her entry into the house .
so prostitutes had their own place in society during those times , and were accepted as part of it . madanike actually takes part in the celebrations of the festival in sati's father's household .
in fact ,the freedom enjoyed by women during those times would be the envy of todays women , especially in north india .
no covering clothes.....
in fact , clothes which are quite exposing......
freedom to go alone anywhere....
freedom to mix among men not of one's household......
whatever happened that women became enslaved in ghoonghat later....??
i guess it must be the effect of the invasions of foreign invaders and the need to hide women from the prying eyes of invaders , what else......
and the god of fallen women like madanike is our very own shiva ( the god of all the gods )---for he alone is capable of showing the largeheartedness to accept the prayers of fallen women like her.....
he is not bound by laws of society and does not live according to its rigid rules. for him , a prostitute is the same as a respectable lady ; prayers of both are equal to him....
on the other hand , vishnu ( the other hindu god ) is bound by rules of society ; rules which indeed , he is oath bound to preserve and therefore prostitutes like madanike dont pray to him.....
all of which makes shiva the much more endearing god---the god who accepts everybody.....
i have become his fan lately......
in fact ,if somebody proves to me ( i am an atheist ) that he really exists , i will pray to him......
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The good thing about these serials is that the hindi language is pure like in olden times .
Must watch these serials to brush up my hindi .
Tula pahatey rey ( Dear I am watching you )
I am currently watching this TV serial because my parents watch it every night ; yeah I live with my parents .
It involves actor Subodh Bhave playing Vikram Saranjame , who is a self made man . He is a person who has grown up from the slums to raising a successful business through sheer hard work . All along he has been helped by his friend who stood behind him like a rock .
Vikram's immediate family has reaped the benefits of his success and lead comfortable lives . His younger brother has got married and his wife leads a luxurious existence on her brother in law's money . She is lazy and neither she nor her husband work hard . But neither do they have any gratitude for the money that Vikram has showered on them . Vikram is rather alone at the top....
Vikram is now in his mid forties and past the age when indian men get married . Half his life has gone in his struggle to reach the top . Of course , some selfish women are ready to marry him for his money . But what he really needs is a life partner , not a gold digger .
At this stage in his life into his office comes a simple girl named Isha ( Gayatri Datar ) who is not a beauty but has a heart . She too has grown in a slum and lives there still . Her father has to face humiliations due to his poor financial status .
Maybe because they both grew up in a slum or maybe because they are both nice people , Isha and Vikrant begin to unknowingly care for each other as they are thrown together in many situations in the office . And it is Isha who first falls in love . But how can she express her love for Vikrant ? She of financially unequal status.....
The bigger impediment is the considerable age difference between them . Isha is barely in her mid twenties and is twenty years younger then Vikrant . Her parents would be shocked if they came to know of her feelings . They try to fix her marriage to someone else but it fizzles out .
And what about Vikrant's feelings ? Yes he is slowly falling in love with Isha , but is reluctant to admit it to himself . Instead he tries to help in getting Isha married but finds out negative things about the boy and his family and plays a role in getting the engagement cancelled . Exactly what Isha wanted.....
But she is no gold digger , and is willing to follow Vikrant even if his financial condition suffered and fell . In fact it is his higher status that is upto now preventing Isha from coming out openly with her feelings . But the cup of waiting brimmeth over.....her friends are already putting pressure on her to propose to Vikrant Sir , as she calls him .
A soothsayer has already told her parents that Isha will get married in a month . But will his family accept a daughter in law from the slums ? What lies ahead even if the marriage occurs ? The TV serial has still to come to that point but it will . But Isha dear I am watching you and your serial.....
I am currently watching this TV serial because my parents watch it every night ; yeah I live with my parents .
It involves actor Subodh Bhave playing Vikram Saranjame , who is a self made man . He is a person who has grown up from the slums to raising a successful business through sheer hard work . All along he has been helped by his friend who stood behind him like a rock .
Vikram's immediate family has reaped the benefits of his success and lead comfortable lives . His younger brother has got married and his wife leads a luxurious existence on her brother in law's money . She is lazy and neither she nor her husband work hard . But neither do they have any gratitude for the money that Vikram has showered on them . Vikram is rather alone at the top....
Vikram is now in his mid forties and past the age when indian men get married . Half his life has gone in his struggle to reach the top . Of course , some selfish women are ready to marry him for his money . But what he really needs is a life partner , not a gold digger .
At this stage in his life into his office comes a simple girl named Isha ( Gayatri Datar ) who is not a beauty but has a heart . She too has grown in a slum and lives there still . Her father has to face humiliations due to his poor financial status .
Maybe because they both grew up in a slum or maybe because they are both nice people , Isha and Vikrant begin to unknowingly care for each other as they are thrown together in many situations in the office . And it is Isha who first falls in love . But how can she express her love for Vikrant ? She of financially unequal status.....
The bigger impediment is the considerable age difference between them . Isha is barely in her mid twenties and is twenty years younger then Vikrant . Her parents would be shocked if they came to know of her feelings . They try to fix her marriage to someone else but it fizzles out .
And what about Vikrant's feelings ? Yes he is slowly falling in love with Isha , but is reluctant to admit it to himself . Instead he tries to help in getting Isha married but finds out negative things about the boy and his family and plays a role in getting the engagement cancelled . Exactly what Isha wanted.....
But she is no gold digger , and is willing to follow Vikrant even if his financial condition suffered and fell . In fact it is his higher status that is upto now preventing Isha from coming out openly with her feelings . But the cup of waiting brimmeth over.....her friends are already putting pressure on her to propose to Vikrant Sir , as she calls him .
A soothsayer has already told her parents that Isha will get married in a month . But will his family accept a daughter in law from the slums ? What lies ahead even if the marriage occurs ? The TV serial has still to come to that point but it will . But Isha dear I am watching you and your serial.....
Last edited by ashdoc; 10-18-18 at 01:22 AM.