Back to the golden era

Mona

When Anushka and Himanshu sit down to watch Ramayana each day at nine in the morning, it’s not just that they get to know about an already popular story, but also marvel at Ramanand Sagar’s showmanship. Also, what makes it interesting is that their parents are sharing good-old Ramayana days!

Going to the neighbours when the whole street had one TV and everyone huddled to catch the show are memories that their parents — Yashpal Kumar and Kiran — share. “What makes the lockdown bearable is sitting with my family, just like we sat some 30 years back and enjoy the classic serials,” says Yashpal Kumar, a government employee who has been part of Ramleela too for last one decade. “The old serials bring up memories like never before – I distinctly remember how we would beg our father to let us go and watch it at our neighbours’ place. Our mother accompanied us. The days our father said no, we missed it – the loss was almost unbearable, for there were no repeat telecasts then.”

Family fun

Poonam Rawat is happy that her 11-year-old son Tanmay is following a routine, courtesy the serial. “By nine each one of us at home is ready to enjoy the show together, just like old times,” shares Poonam. What she loves even more about this family telly time is that Tanmay is getting his Hindi lessons the fun way. “Sad that our children are getting away from the mother tongue. Since he’s interested to know what’s happening, he ends up asking what it means and I am only too happy to answer,” she beams.

Neena’s favourite of the old lot is Byomkesh Bakshi. “I remember I was about 15-16 when it was first aired; so many decades on, I have forgotten the stories but still remember particular scenes that send a chill down my spine even today,” says the HR executive, who is rather happy holed up inside home with her elder sister. “The lockdown has forced my elder sister to stay here since she was visiting Chandigarh, so it’s like reliving those carefree days again. Though there is shadow of tragedy looming large, we are trying to keep positive.”

Demand for more

There is demand for other gems to be brought back to the living rooms. As soon as Twitteratti got the news of re-runs, there was clamour for more. “Wow! Someone in @DDNational finally realised the value of classics like Ramayan, Mahabharat and Byomkesh Bakshi! Could we please also have Chanakya, Vikram Betaal, Buniyaad, Hum Log and the like,” posted Sai Deepak. Surbhi, Bharat Ek Khoj, Shaktimaan, Chandrakanta, Swabhimaan and Duck Tales remain other shows that people are demanding for.

Anita Sharma has her hands full with her four-year-old son and husband asking one thing after another, so she wishes to take a quick trip back with Jungle Jungle baat chali, hai pata chala hai…chaddi pehen ke phool khila, phool khila hai. “Those were the days of pure innocence that can be relived again, till we get back to normal routines.”

mona@tribunemail.com

Then & now

Lots of viewers are reaching out to Byomkesh Bakshi actor Rajit Kapur, who played the titular role in the series. The veteran actor is elated that gen-next is enjoying it as much. “The USP of Byomkesh was its simplicity, right from five to 85, everyone could grasp it,” says Rajit.

Twenty five years on, Rajit has been lately seen in hits like Uri and Raazi, and is also part of web series Bard of Blood. How has the scene changed? “The emphasis is now hugely on marketing, sometimes even more than the product itself, which is rather worrying.”

On the positive side, he says value of good ‘content’ has increased manifold. “Along with it, so has the need for planning. Back then, when before we started Byomkesh, I had all 33 episodes with dialogues in hand; that’s the way to go about making a good product,” says the actor, who would love a re-run of Malgudi Days, Khandan and Buniyad.