Thursday, November 5, 2009

50 Glorious Years of Doordarshan - III

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Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi

Golden days of Doordarshan



Yeh Jo hai Zindagi!  I can still remember the days this serial was telecast...every Friday at 8.30 pm.  We were living in a colony and the roads of the colony were deserted on these days. Hosur (Tamilnadu) where we lived, was an industrial area and people from all parts of our country were living in our colony...I had very good Maharashtrian, Bengali, Gujarathi friends over there.  These people felt as if they were in their own hometown while watching this Hindi serial.   Chennai Kendra had not yet reached there and so Tamilians also became addicts of this serial.  The theatres were empty on these days!  If we were out of our home and came back running, we could hear the title song of the serial, blaring from each and every house in the colony! And then the laughter sounds will start...every member of the family, young or old, were laughing heartily!  My neighbour was a doctor, but his clinic was empty, mostly, during this time and he too was happily watching this serial!  

This serial was the first of its kind - comedy serial - by Doordarshan, which was aired in 1984. Shafi Inamdar(Ranjit) and Swaroop Sampath, former Miss India, 1979(Renu and she was really beautiful!) played as a couple and Rakesh Bedi (Raja) was Renu's brother.  Most of the episodes were single episodes and some stories stretched to two episodes, I think.   Satish Shah (the famous comedian in the later years) became very famous in this serial, who played different roles (speaking different languages of different regions of our country) in every episode.   Vijay Kashyap and Shulbha Arya played as their Bengali neighbours.  Some of the dialogues became very famous like:

"Yeh kya ho raha hai"  Tikku Talsanya uses this line, dragging each and every word. 

"Aa ha ha, what a relief"  "30 Years Ka Experience hai"  Satish Shaw made these lines famous!

Wikipedia says,  "Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that video stores in London would await periodically for the copy of the serial’s tape. Even the box-office openings in cinemas were affected due to the airing of the show. After a couple of successful seasons, the show took a hiatus (due to the departure of Shafi [2], one of the primary characters, from the show) and returned for a second innings with some additional cast."

All viewers of this serial felt very sad when the news of Shafi Inamdar's demise came in the papers.    The serial was written by comedy writer Sharad Joshi and directed by S. S. Oberoi and Raman Kumar.  The title song sung by our Kishore Kumar...was our favourite song!

Now, let me show you one episode of the serial from our treasure trove 'you tube'!  If you like it, you can watch more over there.  Now we are exposed to hundreds of comedy serials and may not enjoy like we enjoyed in those days, but we watched it with the whole family, which is very important and which we don't seem to do, now.



Edited to add (6.11.09): I came across this anecdote about Swaroop Sampath!  She is actor Paresh Rawal's wife and has got two grown up sons now and acts in plays with her husband! She also teaches acting to disabled children. Swaroop has obtained a Ph.D. in Education[4] from University of Worcester in England. She is also a teacher’s trainer now traveling across India to conduct workshops for teachers who engage themselves in imparting this knowledge for the benefit of children.[5] She was selected by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to head an educational program for children. [6]

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25 comments :

R. Ramesh said...

yeh kya ho raha hi...S, y did u remind me of that serial YJHZ yaar? OMG, those days v were running crazy on mumbai trains..that is one of my most favourite serials..great one...

Anonymous said...

Oh Sandhya! I used to wait for this serial! It used to be so much fun to watch :) All of us used to watch it together :)

So many memories have been refreshed by this post :)

Solilo said...

As I mentioned before I haven't watched Ye jo hai Zindagi that much. May be just couple of episodes though don't remember much. All memories of this show are through what mom and others told us about it. I remember watching Karamchand. I used to wait for it. Kitty and Karamchand.

Renu said...

Oh really, this was so popular, we bought the TV because my children wanted to watch this:)
I liked Khandan very much and then there was one more where Satish shah and swaroop sampat were husband wife..now I can remembr many good ones:)

Anonymous said...

The first time I saw Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, they had bought a new (and exciting) sofa cum bed and everybody wants to sit on it - I think to watch TV, to chop veggies and the moment somebody moved, the other one just waiting would grab a corner of the three seater :) We thought it was really funny!

Sandhya said...

Ramesh: Yes, everyone were crazy about this serial!


wordsndreamz: 'All of us used to watch it together' - This is important and we remember these serials because of the way we sat together, commented, laughed together! And everyone was laughing LOUDLY without inhibitions in those days! Do we do that now?

I added some news about Swaroop Sampath now! Have a look, Smitha!


Solilo: If we watch this serial now, it might be boring for me too, but as I wrote in the earlier comment, it is remembered for the way we enjoyed watching it!

Karamchand was the first detective serial of DD. I am planning to write about it too! My sons also will enjoy! Most of my readers are my children's age! So I know what they like!!


Renu: Yes, TV sales went up because of this serial, my Hosur friend told me yesterday.

Neena Gupta became famous after Khaandaan and she was in a negative role!

I don't remember Shah acting with Swaroop but acted with Rathna Paatakh in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.


IHM: Yes, I came across that episode in 'you tube' and it was OK, now! But, in those days, everything was first time and so all of us enjoyed!

I have added today some news about Swaroop. Check it! You will like it!

hitch writer said...

This is my most most most favourite serial.. we recently saw all episodes on DVD also from Reliance Big Flix... !!!! Those actors are also my favourites.. Shafi or Rakesh or Satish or Swaroop or Farida they were ultimate in that serial !!!!!

Sandhya said...

hitchwriter: We never had a chance to see this serial again. Now, I saw some episodes in 'you tube'. Yes, all the actors were good, esp. Farida is still acting.

lostworld said...

I was a kid but I my parents were fans of DD serials then! I have seen a couple of them .. I don't find the same humour in the sitcoms these days.. We're spoilt for choices these days, but the quality is deteriorating rapidly.

manju said...

This was one of my favourite serials!

I remember that Shafi Inamdar used to say his lines with a straight face- Swaroop Sampat too, was not loud or obviously funny. I think it was the situation that created the humour.

R. Ramesh said...

hey nanri ya...take care..wishes to yr famly..

Sandhya said...

lostworld: Pure comedy serials are very rare today. And Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi was first of its kind at that time.


Manju: I remember Swaroop Sampath's facial expressions - she was always giving a bigg smile with her eyes wide open! But she was beautiful! I wonder if it will be that much interesting to watch now - though Dhiren says, their family enjoyed!

Have you seen Satish Shah's 'Dhamaal'? Just 10 mts. skit. Govinda, Nutan's son and some other actors also acted in them. Govinda sold 'danth manjan' in an episode and it was hilarious! I am searching for it for the past few days but couldn't get it.

Kavita Saharia said...

Sandhya,it was a phenomenal serial,very original and one of its kind.I remember this particular episode where the family had a new servant Satish Saha calling Raja "FUNTI"...this name Funti became very popular in our locality.YE KYA HO RAHA HAI...it was my papa's fav line.You are right roads and shops were deserted when this serial was on air.

Sandhya,i just love your selection of topics and the way you speak about them.

Sandhya said...

kavita: Even now we use 'yeh kya ho raha hai!'...! Thank you, Kavita!

gils said...

!! marathi manninu title potutu..entha kaaluthalyo vantha serial pathi ivlo detaila postreenga!! unga oorla marathina epdi..poorva jenma nyabagam lighta missaana atha thaan marathinu solvangala!! :D :D loved tht serial..and u know kishore kumar had sung the title track for tht serial!!

gils said...

hey first time here ...nice posts u've got ;)

Sandhya said...

gils: Welcome here! Pona jenma gnaabagam irukku...naeththu yenna samaiyalnu kaettaa muzhippen!

I am at present writing a series about Doordarshan...for us, it was the beginning of a new entertainment and still remember them. My husband remembers about them more than me!

Swaram said...

This serial was a craze @ home - my mausi used to tell me stories abt this sometimes ;)
I luv Swaroop Sampath's acting - very natural na :)

radha said...

I loved this serial. I still rate it as one of the best. Nice cast and good clean humour.

Anonymous said...

Oh Sandhya you struck the nostalgic chord in me yet again!
Yeh jo hai zindagi used to be my favorite serial.In fact my entire family's! In fact I remember '30 years ka experience' used to our catch-phrase to use at the end of every sentence :)

My father uses it even now when he has to make his stance clear to my mom :)

Shail said...

Sandhya, so enjoyed watching that episode of Ye Jo Hai Zindagi! Used to be a fav. I am also fond of watching Dekh Bhai Dekh. Am a big fan of that show.

Sandhya said...

Swaram: Yes, she was beautiful, too. For our generation, these serials were the best entertainers at that time!


Radha: You said it - clean humour!


Deepu: Yes, very nostalgic, indeed. We still use 'yeh kya ho raha hai' in the same tone!


Shail: Yes, Jaya Bachchan's 'Dekh Bhai dekh' was our favourite too!

Saritha said...

Brought memories back sandhya.Those days won't come back,wonderful dd and its serials.
U remember air hostess serial and kitu gidwani.

Sandhya said...

Varunavi: Yes, Saritha. I remember 'Air hostess' very well. The serial was very very interesting and they stopped it midway...I am surprising myself, Saritha...I am remembering these things, but forget about what I did yesterday!

I don't see you and your posts much, nowadays. Hope you are well, Saritha. Missing you.

Saritha said...

I am fine sandhya not getting much time on the net,its been long i didnt update my food blog as well.varu had exams till yesterday.

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