These aren’t my words. It’s a mere copy-paste of dialogue in the movie-“Zindagi na milegi dobara”. After seeing the movie (which I loved by the way!) I too was depressed that my student’s life is almost over and I have started working. As sung by Bryan Adams, “Those were the best days of my life!” the only difference being that mine was “summer of 99!” (Well there used to be many summers which are remarkable!) School days were fun with lot of time for self, the time during which cable TV was absent. Only a few good programmes to which people get stuck on to! It creates a mood of nostalgia thinking about few programmes which friends used to discuss in the lunch break on school days. The dialogue in the movie in fact forced me to think about those few good programmes…
Aladdin: -
Arabian naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyytzzzzzzzzzzz……… The song really reminded me about the “deserty” Arabia (well I have never been to Arabia, but reminded me of Arabia which I have seen in TV and photos)! The Walt Disney cartoon which really used to pin me to the seat with the adventures of Aladdin. Genie with all the gestures had made me laugh and had definitely been a part in me. (No! I don’t do any magic. Genie is in me only in the gestures’ department), along with Abu & Iago. An interesting character was the carpet which cannot talk but communicate well in spite of being a non-living thing. And Jasmine the princess was B.E.A.Youtiful (courtesy: Bruce almighty).
Alif Laila: -
“Zindbad the sailor ek jahaas mein jab chala” Err! That is not the title song. I don’t remember the lyrics, so I beg your pardon. It was like-“Alif Laila! Alif Laila! Alif La-a-a-a-a—yilaaaaa! Alif laaaaaaaaaaaillllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! (Last line in high pitch)” Oh shit I lost the matter! This was a series which was telecasted at night. During those days, I haven’t seen such beautiful graphics! Especially the one with Zindbad, Ali-Baba & Aladdin, being the most prominent stories.
All the best: - A programme in DD Metro on Sundays. Used to play latest bollywood songs & albums then. The thing which I loved was that the songs were played fully. (I remember fighting with mother to watch this programme because its timing was bit late according to her, and next day I had to go to school and she wanted to make sure I don’t get up late). Later on, they gave up the habit of playing the songs fully.
Appooppanthaadi: -
The Malayalam serial exclusively for kids. The title means “Grandpa’s Beard”. Sounds awkward when translated into English, I know. This was the first time I saw what morphing was! (Not morphine!) The highlight of this serial was a goggle with an Aero plane on the nose. It was owned by couple of kids. When this goggle was worn, one could see the exact character of any person. Some would turn in to Lion, some into jackals, some into rabbits (Psss…. This is where morphing used to come in!).
Chandrakantha:
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I used to watch this serial on weekends even though I don’t understand a word. Normally itself I was week in Hindi (Now I have improved! I know few cuss words and can count up to 16 in Hindi, plus I can understand bollywood movies!), whereas this was a story from history when English was not used. So the language was pure Hindi…. Wow! That is a double impact. As told through a Malayalam proverb, it was just like a blind seeing Kadhakali! So the question here is why I used to see the serial. Simple! To see Kroor Singh and hear his “Yakku!” He is the only character I remember in that serial. I do remember others’ faces, but the name! I used to tap my right and fingers on the left hand fist and tell “Yyyyyyakkkkkkkoooooooooooooo!”
Disney Hour & Disney world: -
These were two programmes which used to be divided into 3 sessions each. These were the programmes where I started knowing Donald Duck, Goofy (remember his giggle-Ahhyooo Ahhyooo!) Mickey Mouse (he calling his dog-blooooootoooo! in a female voice), Minnie Mouse and Pluto (who used to clean his teeth and make them shine for a female dog of a dash hunt breed I guess, and the female dog looked like a suspension bridge!) Too much of imaginations were there in the programmes
Duck tales: -
The very rich Uncle Scrooge McDuck and the very naughty, tiny nephew pests. The main character, the uncle used to find way to increase his wealth (by the way he used to keep a coin with him which was considered the source of luck of all his wealth!), whereas few villains try to rob him and he protects his wealth. I remember one episode in which Uncle Scrooge was Columbus, who goes in search of India, finds, West Indies as well as Spain and when realizing the mistake declares-“This is India and I name it Spain!”
Ek se badkar ek: -
As far as I can remember, this was the first top ten count-down show in Indian television history. The top-ten bollywood songs were listed. And it was a serial combined with top-ten. A story ran parallel with the top-ten. If you have seen this program, you would very well remember the dialogue-“Aaw Maaw Chaaw!” this was the programme through which I understood that there was an art form called “Albums”. The first album I saw was “Made in India” by Alisha & then “Bolo Tararara” by Dhaler Mehandi But I still wonder how they rated them, because no online poll or SMS poll were available at that time. And for 6 months the song-“Pardesi” from the movie “Raja Hindustani” was there in top-ten. I hated that female voice after 4 months.
ETTAK: -
Expedition to the Animal Kingdom, or ETTAK I used to tell, used to give courtesy to some foreign channel and was telecasted every day morning. Hmmm well, it was same as that of programmes shown in Animal Planet.
Green Teen Quiz: -
This was quite an informative programme. I used to wait for this program which was in DD2 (or DD Metro?) at 7.30 PM. This was a quiz hosted by Barry O’Brien, for school students. I don’t know if the quiz master is relative of Mr. Derek O’Brien which conducts the Bournvita Quiz!
Jungle book: -
Rudyard Kipling was one of the foreign writers who were closely associated with India. And his work Jungle Book reveals it. I haven’t read the book so far, but Great Walt Disney helped me with a cartoon series which was telecasted by Doordarshan. The title song, both in Hindi and Malayalam were popular those days. I used to love Wednesdays because Wednesdays meant Cartoons for me, out of which one was Jungle Book. Wednesday evening 6 O Clock, in regional language! The numbers of characters were really epical. Mowgli, his siblings-Akru & Sura and their mom, the wolves’ leader Akela, sweet panda-Kitchi, the blackie Bageera, Bhaalu the bear, Kaa the snake, Thabaaki the timid helper of villain, the mighty Sher Khan. The BGM when Sher Khan arrived was royal, am in search of that ring tone in factL.
Little mermaid: -
I remember it well; it was telecasted in DD, on Tuesday evenings. The story of Underworld…. Oops! Water world! A king, a beautiful princess & her friends-Sebastian the crab & Flounder the fish. I always used to think who could do the roles if it was made into a bollywood movie. Well, now the casting could be done like this- Amitabh Bacchan (The sea king), Aiswarya Rai Bacchan (The princess; I don’t like Ms Bacchan, still….), Johny Lever (Sebastian the crab) and I still have a doubt if flounder the fish is male or female (So the role goes to SRK or Karan Johar!)
Mahabharath: -
I don’t remember much of this series, because I was just 3.5 years old at that time. But I do remember “Yadha Yadha hi dharmassya!” this is from where I learnt two lines from Bhagavad-Gita for the first time. I have heard people telling that old people used to do prayers and pooja in front of TV on Sundays (Yeah Yeah I am exaggerating!). My mom says that I never allowed her to watch that programme because by the time I hear the conch sound in the title song, I would start screaming! And who could forget great Mr. Nitish Bharadwaj who was Krishna in the series?
Shakthimaan: -
Sorry Shakthimaan! I am sorry to tell this. I used to hate this programme! For first few episodes I used to enjoy, but it became repetitive with all the Acid rain, Villains saying-“Andhera gaayam rahein!” Still, I used to see it. I had no other option because cable TV was far a luxury. I liked Mukesh Khanna who did a magnificent role as Bheeshma in Mahabharata. Even though comical and people used to make fun, Shakthiman managed to make an impact being the first super hero (as far as my knowledge is concerned!)
Surabhi: -
Every Sunday at 9PM; (hope I got the time right!), we (me & my family) used to be in front of TV for sure. We would wait for one graphic video where a maze reminding “Jantar Mantar” would appear, entering on which various snaps would appear those which remind anyone-“India”. In the end the logo of the programme would come which I used to call “Mysore Sandal Soap” because it looks the same. This was one good informative programme the stars of which were “Mr. Siddharth Kak & Ms. Renuka Shahane used to think that they were married couple! Well, the episodes used to feed people with good amount of knowledge, showed variety of places, variety of people. I do remember me beaming when they telecasted one feature on Kerala. Was feeling so happy. It’s not that I did not or do not like other states or languages, just an “am happy am home” feeling.
TaleSpin: -
animation story of Baloo (Same Baloo from jungle book), Louis the bar owner and Sher Khan the business Tycoon. Baloo used to be a pilot of Plane, the name of which was like that of some birds (I don’t remember the name of the plane & the city in which the stories used to happen!)
Tehkikaath: -
“Tehkikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaath, ye hain tehakeeeekaaaaaaaaaaaaaath!!!!” For me this was Indian Sherlock Holmes Story at that time. I am sorry if you are a Sherlock Holmes Fan! I haven’t read any Sherlock Holmes story except, “The Hound of Baskervilles”. He was Inspector Sam De Silva who used to keep me on tip of chair with the help of his assistant-Gopi, who used to eat a lollypop always! (In fact the stories used to keep me on the chair-tip). Two stories which I would never forget were that of a woman named Neha waking up from sleep exactly at 3 AM and cutting ladies’ finger and that of one John Pereira who scares a housewife by coming out of a bath tub. Both these episodes have managed to send chill through my spine.
Yug: -
Yug was a serial which I used to see only during my vacation time & exam time. The prime reason was the time. Every weekday at 3.00PM. It was about the freedom struggle of India. It used to inspire me a lot, especially the title song-“Yug Badla Hindustan!”
There were few other series like “Shanti” (which shot Ms. Mandira Bedi into fame) which was aired on week day at 2 PM. Then a series called “Farz”, “Om Namah Shivaya”, “Sri Krishna”, “Jai Hanuman”, “Raja aur rancho”, “Chithrahaar, “Rangoli” and “Pingu” the penguin. Then there used to be an interesting programme named-“The turning point” anchored by Mr.Girish Karnad!
I know there are a few more to list out!
Of course above all these programmes, there were few advertisements which are there in our minds. Especially, the ones like
Bajaj: - “Yeh zameen ye aasmaan…..”
Complan:- “But am growing mommy!” and “I am complan girl, I am a complan boy!”
Lichad Pappad: - A big rabbit used to be present in this ad and in a nasal sound, it used to tell- “Hmmmmm! Lichad Pappad!”
Rasna: - with the tagline-“I Love you Rasna!”
Vicco: - “Vicco turmeric, Ayur-cosmetic….” & “Vicco Vajradanthi!”
Plus, there were many time fillers like “Mile sur mera tumhara”, “Bhaje Sargam” “Ek Chidiya” & “Hum honge kaamyaab!”
These time-fillers weren’t mere fillers, but also conveyed some messages regarding “Unity in Diversity”. It does sound like a cliché; still on hearing takes us 15-20 years back….
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