I am writing this as I stare through the window on a train. Train journeys are so much fun. Plus when you are travelling alone all you have for company are some songs and your thoughts. I thought why not share it on my blog.
Few days back a fellow blogger shared link for this horror serial (tamil) from the 90s. That got us all talking about the awesome serials/series that were aired when we were kids. As in during the 90s. I am talking about stuff that has a proper story and ones which had an ending planned when they started shooting the serial. Those were pretty good that most families would sit together to watch it. Or at least I remember my huge joint family sitting together after dinner to watch Marma Desam. These serials were so good that I remember my ever so busy father would sit and watch it whenever he was home.
We all started listing out our favorites, our memories related to it and all.
These serials were so decent that parents would usually let the kids watch it with them. Even the ones dealing with extra marital affair and all were pretty decent as far as I could remember. The thriller/horror ones on the other hand was used to scare us. The dog’s bark that comes after one such serial’s title credit used to scare me so much.
If you think feminism is a trending topic only in the recent times, I could list out a few series that had a strong female lead character and portrayed feminism in a very beautiful way. Oru Pennin Kadhai, Kaiyalavu Manasu, Premi, Penn, Amudha oru Acharyakuri, Gayathri – a few to point out. The female characters in these serials did not have to defuse bombs, fight with evil spirits, or snakes that could take human form.
I remember watching this one series called Rudra Veenai and decided I will learn Veena. So that one day I could learn the actual Rudra Veena as well.
Only now there is a segregation between the big screen and small screen actors. But the big screen actors used to do cameo roles and made it exciting for us to watch it. There used to be this serial called Krishnadaasi which is based on the lives of a family of classical dancers. I used to beg my mom to watch it just to see the dance parts. That one involved single motherhood, inter religion relationship and all. Stuff that were very much scowled at a decade back. (Man I sound so old now) The bonus for watching that serial was this special advertisement by himami(I think) which had both simran and jyothika in it.
The thing is we had proper genres for these series too.
Unlike how things are now. What starts off as family drama with some sort of marriage proposal and goes on to become revenge story then it will introduce all sorts of amman graphics. When they are running out of stuff they will then introduce a sexy lady who is actually snake. The lead actress will do literally everything. Cook for the family, wear all sorts of expensive sarees and jewels when the whole family is suffering in poverty, diffuse a frigging bomb, fight evil spirits but above all that they will still wash their in-laws’ feet with tears!
If a serial is said to be a comedy it stays as a comedy. My all time favorite was and still is Ramani vs Ramani. How many husband-wife jokes can you deliver in a show without making it sound too vulgar? So much so that you can let your kids watch it without the worry of the serial giving out too much mature content… Ramani vs Ramani is one such example.
One cannot forget Chinna paapa; Periya paapa. The classic Saas-Bahu feud given with a mix of cowardly husbands and the ever best Pattabi (only 90s kids will truly remember him)
There is the kids special Maayavi Mareechan, Jee Boom Baa. I am not even sure how many have seen Flight 172, Mouli’s work. I vaguely remember it though. Very vaguely. Now those are comedies.
And when I am talking about comedy, how can I not mention Crazy Mohan and his crazy crazy serials with Madhu and Cheenu. Nil Gavani Crazy is one of the best. I wonder what happened to such good shows.
Not just comedy. There were some really awesome thriller/suspense shows too. Stuff that had a pretty neat plot that thickens and goes on to make the viewers want to watch more.
Marma Desam is something no one would ever forget. If you were already an adult during the 90s you would know Marma Desam for its plot. If you were a kid at that time, you would remember it for the title credits. They use scary looking cheap graphic dog, horse and sound effects that scares the shit out of us.
Theres Chidambara Ragasiyam that explores the idea of horoscopes being used for purposes other than predicting the future.
I am trying to recollect more of those memories of good old TV days.
The period that required just an exhaust fan and some good lighting techniques to scare the shit out of us!
