Indian television drama

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Indian television dramas (also known as Indian series colloquially known as serials[1]) are dramatic television programs written, produced, and filmed in India, with characters played by Indian actors and episodes broadcast on Indian televisions.[2]

India's first television drama titled

Indian Television, thus entering the Limca Book of Records, and completed its run with 1833 episodes.[4] Char Divas Sasuche (Marathi) (2001–13) was the first Indian series to cross 2,000 and 3,000 episodes, also entering in Limca Book of Records, which concluded with 3,200 episodes. The Telugu series Abhishekam (2008–22) was the first Indian series with 4,000 episodes and concluded on 1 February 2022.[5] The television drama Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (2009–present) with 4300+ episodes is the longest-running Hindi TV show of India, and the longest-running soap opera
, airing for 15 years as of 2024.

Indian series are made in almost all of the major languages in India, though many also contain a mix of the predominant language and

francophone Africa.[6][7]

History

India's first television

Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar would discuss the ongoing story and situations with the audience using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, he would introduce the actors who played characters in the serial and end his monologue with the Indian language versions of the words "Hum Log". In 2002, StarPlus telecasted the period drama TV miniseries Asoka, based on the 2001 film of the same name, with a run of five episodes.[10][11]

Biographies of famous people started being produced in the form of dramas like

Jhansi Ki Rani, Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Rudramadevi
based on the Indian history.

Crime dramas also started being produced and aired.

Indian television courtroom drama series which revolves around Advocate K. D. Pathak, a defense lawyer with an impeccable track record of winning cases and setting helpless innocent victims free, but not at the cost of upholding the truth.[12]

The Indian

mythological drama show, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, recorded the highest TRP
of 8.2 in an episode.

Daytime dramas were highly popular during the 2000s and 2010s, with shows like

Porus, premiered on Sony Entertainment Television
on 27 November 2017 and ended on 13 November 2018. It is currently the most expensive show in Indian history, with a budget of over 500 crores.

During the late 2010s, the popularity of daytime dramas gradually declined. Today, there are no daytime dramas on any mainstream channel.

Star Plus, Sony Entertainment Television, Sun TV and Zee TV.[14] After mid 2000s, the themes of Indian TV series began to change. More women-centric shows were made, such as Dollar Bahu, Choti maa ek anokha bandhan, Jeete Hain Jiske Liye, Sujata, Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan, Amber Dhara, Behenein, Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak?, Yathumagi Nindrai, Adhikaar ek kasam ek tapasya, Beyhadh, Maddam Sir, Corporate Sarpanch, Appnapan – Badalte Rishton Ka Bandhan, Anupamaa, Ladies Special, Dheere Dheere Se, Main Hoon Aparajita, Pushpa Impossible, and Sevvanthi, which gained popularity for their strong female protagonists.[citation needed
]

Social impact

See also:
Socio-economic issues in India

TV dramas affect Indian society, with regard to national integration, identity,

Hum Log, began as a family planning program, and although it quickly turned its focus to entertainment, it continued to embed pro-development messages which provided a model of utilizing the television serial as an "edutainment" method that was followed by countries around the world.[16]

A 2007 study of cable coming to rural India showed that it led to "significant decreases in the reported acceptability of domestic violence towards women and son preference, as well as increases in women's autonomy and decreases in fertility." It also "found suggestive evidence that exposure to cable increases school enrollment for younger children, perhaps through increased participation of women in household decision-making."[17][18]

International reception

Sri Lanka

Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and Kasautii Zindagii Kay was dubbed in Sinhala and reached a great response. Kindurangana, which was remake of the Hindi serial Kasamh Se, also had a positive response in Sri Lanka.

Dubai

Khwaish, which aired on Sony Entertainment Television and ARY Digital, returned as a hit show in Dubai in 2007. In 2016, in response to audience interest, A-Plus TV dubbed the old popular romantic Hindi Colors TV serial Jeevan Sathi - Humsafar Zindagi Ke in Urdu.

Brazil

Caminho das Índias India: A Love Story was a popular Brazilian Soap Opera which has the Indian theme serial.[19]

Ivory Coast and Senegal

Vaidehi – Ek Aur Agni Pareeksha was particularly popular in the Ivory Coast and Senegal.[20] In 2010, the serial was dubbed in Arabic due to high request.

Indonesia

Indonesian and aired under the title Gopi (after the main character) starting 15 September 2016 until 19 April 2017 and has been broadcast again in 2021-2022, the Indoneasean version of the serial reaching 600 episodes. Serials like Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Ishq Mein Marjawan, Kumkum Bhagya (in Indonesian under the title Lonceng Cinta), Anupamaa, Imlie, Naagin, and Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka also performed with good TRP in Indonesia. Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi aired in Indonesia and [21]Woh Apna Sa
was dubbed in Indonesian after the original Hindi version became popular.

Russia

Dishayen was dubbed in Russian and did well in Russia in 2005.

Pakistan

Indian dramas were popular in

British Broadcasting Corporation has reported that cable television operators in Pakistan often violate the ban and air Indian television serials due to the high popularity and demand for these in Pakistan, and Indian television shows make up nearly 60 percent of all foreign programs broadcast in Pakistan.[25]

In June 2006, Pakistani comedian

Bollywood and Indian TV drama have invaded our homes".[27]

The viewing of Indian TV dramas has become so popular that mainstream newspapers such as the Pakistan Tribune often feature articles about the shows.[28] Since satellite connections offer uninterrupted coverage of Indian shows, many people have bought these to watch the programs.[29]

Anti-Indian sentiment is reported in Pakistan and the two countries have fought

Bollywood have resulted in an increase in how "favorably an ordinary Pakistani views [India and] Indians." Certain Indian tourists in Pakistan have said that people are particularly friendly if one is from India.[30]

On October 27, 2018, The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reintroduced the ban on Indian content on local channels in the country. Channels like

Urdu1 had shut down Indian content for a period of time.[31][32]

Afghanistan

Indian soap operas became highly popular in

Dari.[33]

Men, women, young and old anyone, it seems, with access to television is enthralled by the family drama.

According to a source, armed militants during the war in Afghanistan may have even stopped fighting to watch Indian dramas.[34]

The strong popularity of Indian dramas was challenged by conservative hardliners who saw it as a threat to the country's religious and national values. Under pressure from conservatives, the government of Hamid Karzai ordered broadcasters to stop airing dramas in April 2008. However, broadcasters refused to comply, stating that it is against the country's media law.[35]

The first homemade Afghan television drama serial was called Palwasha, produced by Aina Afghan Media and started airing on November 25, 2007. Although shot in Kabul and in Dari, the serial was directed by an Indian and other people working on the series were from India.[36] Additionally, the main character was played by an Indian actress, Sonal Udeshi.[37][38][39]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Indian TV Serial or Korean Drama: What Does an Indian Viewer Prefer?". Sakshipost. 4 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024.
  2. ^ Pak-Hind Ka Swag, Book 5 "Culture, Technology and fun", chapter 16 "soap opera, Serials and films"
  3. ^ "SOAP OPERAS CAST A SPELL OVER INDIA". The New York Times. 21 August 1985.
  4. ^ Saas Bahu and the End
  5. ^ Shekhar, G. C. (6 September 2018). "More Spellbinding Soap Gathas". Outlook. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  6. ^ Geeta Pandey. "BBC - Culture - Indian soap operas : Family affairs". BBC Culture.
  7. ^ "India Marginalized in Myanmar". 20 July 2013.
  8. ISBN 9780761934691
    . Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  9. ISBN 9781858563213
    . Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Keep date with Asoka". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018.
  11. ^ "indya.com - Asoka". Archived from the original on 14 April 2003. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  12. ^ "What makes this TV show such a hit with Indians?". Movies.rediff.com. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  13. Indian Express
    . Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  14. ^ Star, Zee, Color,Sun and Sony fight it out on weekends - Business Standard
  15. ISBN 1-85856-321-6
    . p. 105.
  16. ISBN 9788170228806
    . Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  17. Quarterly Journal of Economics
    , MIT Press. Vol. 124(3) pp. 1057-1094.
  18. ISBN 978-0-415-55377-3
    . pp. 200.
  19. ^ "Meet Maya and Bahuan, the protagonists of Caminho Das Indias (India's Way), a Braziliantelevision show". www.hindustantimes.com. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
  20. ^ "Hindi star Pallavi Kulkarni has been mobbed by adoring African fans of her headstrong "Vaidehi" female lead in the cult Indian TV romance". www.reuters.com. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  21. ^ "Sony TV's popular show 'Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi' set to air in Indonesia". timesofindia.indiatimes.com/. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  22. ^ Chander Mohan Jindal. "My Experiences of Lahore and Pakistan Railway". irastimes.org. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012.
  23. ^ "Pakistani women love India's 'saas-bahu' sagas – The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  24. ^ "Indian TV Channels Banned in Pakistan". Pakistan Defence. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  25. ^ "BBC NEWS - South Asia - Pakistan allows Indian TV shows". News.bbc.co.uk. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  26. ^ "BBC NEWS - South Asia - Pakistani comic's Indian joy". News.bbc.co.uk. 27 June 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  27. ^ "BBC NEWS - Entertainment - Pakistan confirms Bollywood ban". News.bbc.co.uk. 15 June 2005. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  28. ^ "10 things I hate about Indian soaps". Tribune.com.pk. 15 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  29. ^ Rob Crilly in Islamabad (3 October 2010). "Pakistanis snap up Satellite dishes for Indian soaps". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  30. ^ "Serial Lovers - Times of India". articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Pakistan bans Indian TV channels". BBC News. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  32. ^ Baloch, Shafi (27 October 2018). "SC reinstates ban on airing of Indian content on TV channels". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  33. ^ "Indian soap opera mesmerises Afghanistan".
  34. ^ "India's influential soft power in Afghanistan: Giving edge over Pakistan".
  35. ^ "Indian soap operas stir outrage in Afghanistan". Reuters. 17 April 2008.
  36. ^ "Kabul TV airs first Afghan commercial serial made by Indians" (PDF). India Review. December 2007.
  37. ^ Sinha, Neha (19 November 2007). "Starting this week on Kabul TV: First Afghan serial, made by Indians". The Indian Express.
  38. ^ Padukone, Chaitanya (19 November 2013). "Tales from Kabul". DNA India.
  39. ISBN 9781483346410
    .
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