Old Is Gold! Top 10 Indian TV Shows That You Must Watch
Indian TV shows that you can binge watch anytime and take a trip down the memory lane.
There’s something magical about old Indian TV shows! Despite the advent of OTT platforms that have seen a boom in viewership for series, the charm and love for old Indian TV shows remains strong. While OTT platforms have introduced us to diverse subjects and many new genres, they still fail to ignite the sort of feeling one gets while watching their favourite childhood shows. It can also be therapeutic to unwind, taking a trip down memory lane by watching that one TV show that reminds you of the good times.
Whether you are someone planning to watch a re-run of classic Indian TV shows or thinking of giving them a try for the first time, we have curated a list containing the perfect mix of shows that will take you back to a different time.
So, without further ado, here’s a list of iconic Indian TV shows worth going back to:
1. Fauji: The show that introduced us to Bollywood’s Badshah -- Shah Rukh Khan. The 1989 series followed the lives of young army recruits and their training to become commandos in the Indian Army. The series still remains unforgettable because of its realistic portrayal of what a young soldier goes through after enlisting in the army.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
2. Shaktimaan: Spider-Man, Superman who? Let’s introduce you to India’s very own superhero -- Shaktimaan. The 1997 show featured the Indian superhero, who achieved his powers through meditation and five elements of nature. After its successful run, the show launched several other spin-off series and movies.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
3. Hum Paanch: Regarded as one of the best Hindi sitcoms in India, ‘Hum Paanch’ gave us Vidya Balan, who could have imagined? The 1995 show revolved around Anand Mathur, who lived with his wife, five eccentric daughters and his first wife, who died but could talk to him through her portrait.
Where to watch: Zee5
4. Khichdi: One can’t forget Praful and Hasna from the iconic sitcom ‘Khichdi’. The show’s story about the eccentric Gujarati family, the Parekhs, had so many iconic characters that their catchphrases are used even today. The makers also released a movie based on the show, ‘Khichdi: The Movie’ (2010) and revived it for another installment in 2018.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
5. Dill Mill Gayye: Declare Dr Armaan as the crush of our generation! We all rooted for Armaan and Riddhima’s love story. This romantic drama, based in a hospital setup, was beautiful and gave us some of the best songs ever.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
6. Sarabhai vs Sarabhai: Another gem from the makers of ‘Khichdi’, this show revolved around the lives of an upper-class Gujarati family who live in a posh apartment in South Mumbai. The Indian sitcom, with its memorable characters and fun storyline, became insanely popular right after its release.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
7. The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Season 1: This show gave rise to standup comedy in India. The show also gave us many great comedians from Kapil Sharma to Late Raju Srivastav to Sunil Pal. Ahsaan Qureshi’s poetic comedy and Naveen Prabhakar’s ‘pehchaan kaun’ will leave you in splits even today.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
8. Aahat: This one will definitely send chills down your spine! The 1995 show, an anthology of stories that revolve around people experiencing paranormal activities and supernatural elements, featured the most freakish stories ever.
Where to watch: Sony Liv
9. Office Office: Before the Brits gave us the iconic sitcom ‘The Office’, we had ‘Office Office’. It was a satirical take on the workings and rampant corruption in Indian government offices. The 2001 show revolved around Musaddilal (Pankaj Kapur) and his struggles with an inefficient system and its corrupt officers.
Where to watch: YouTube/SonySAB
10. Dekh Bhai Dekh: Another iconic Indian sitcom definitely worth your time! This show followed the misadventures of three generations of the Diwan family, who lived together in an ancestral bungalow. It starred many familiar faces like Shekhar Suman, Navin Nischol, Farida Jalal, Sushma Seth, and Deven Bhojani, among others.
Where to watch: YouTube
While these were some of our best picks, we can’t forget to mention ‘Sonpari’, ‘Remix’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Buniyaad’, ‘M.A.D.’ and ‘Takeshi’s Castle’.
