The 80s was the golden era for DD, which started with a colour broadcast of Asian Games and tele-serial Hum Log. Entertainment on celluloid was cherished with some famous DD tele-serials like Hum Log, Buniyaad, Nukkad and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi.Hum Log, the serial that revolutionized Indian television completes 30 years today. Indian television's first soap-opera, started on July 7, 1984, was the story of a middle class family and it's struggles and aspirations.
A look back at the story of Basesar Ram and his family explains why the 156-episode saga still occupies special place in the hearts of the viewers.India's first soap opera:
For those uninitiated, it all started with Humlog and not Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Humlog was the first soap-opera of Indian television telecast on Doordarshan. A brain child of the then Information and Broadcasting Minister, Vasant Sathe, Hum Log was developed in collaboration with writer Manohar Shyam Joshi and director P. Kumar Vasudev, into a timeless story. In image : From left, standing: Rajesh Puri (Lalloo), Renuka Israni (Usha Rani), Vinod Nagpal (Basesar Ram), P Kumar Vasudev (director), Joyshree Arora (Bhagwanti), Seema Bhargava (Badki). From left, sitting: Divya Seth (Majhli), Sushma Seth (Dadi), Abhinav Chaturvedi (Nanhe), Lahiri Singh (Dadaji), Lovleen Misra (Chutki) .
Contributed by:-Shri. Mitul Kansal,kansalmitul@gmail.com.