Indian television drama

Indian television dramas, often called Indian series or serials, are scripted television programs made in India, featuring Indian actors. These dramas are broadcast on Indian television networks. India's first television drama, Hum Log (Hindi), aired from 1984 to 1985 and had 154 episodes. Ekta Kapoor's Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000–2008) became the first Indian TV drama to surpass 1,000 episodes, with a total of 1,833 episodes, entering the Limca Book of Records. The Marathi series Char Divas Sasuche (2001–2013) reached 3,200 episodes, becoming the first Indian series to exceed 3,000 episodes, also entering the Limca Book of Records. The Telugu series Abhishekam (2008–2022) was the first Indian show to reach 4,000 episodes, ending on 1 February 2022. The Hindi series Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (2009–present), with over 4,500 episodes as of 2024, is India's longest-running Hindi TV drama and soap opera, airing for 16 years.
Indian television dramas are produced in nearly all major languages spoken in India, often blending the local language with English. These shows are also broadcast in various parts of South Asia, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North and Latin America, and parts of Africa.
Hum Log was India's first television drama, airing from 1984 to 1985 with a total of 154 episodes. At the time, it was the longest-running serial in Indian television history. The show attracted around 60 million viewers, with each episode lasting about 25 minutes, except for the final episode, which was about 55 minutes long.
Veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar appeared at the end of each episode, where he discussed the story and situations using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, he introduced the actors playing the characters and ended his monologues with variations of the phrase "Hum Log."
Television serials have undergone significant transformations over the years, reflecting changing audience preferences, societal shifts, and advancements in production quality. The evolution can be broadly categorized into the following phases:
In 2002, StarPlus aired a period drama miniseries titled Asoka, based on the 2001 film of the same name. The series had a limited run of five episodes.
By the late 2010s, the popularity of daytime and afternoon dramas had declined, and currently, no mainstream channels broadcast such programs. Today, the major networks with nationwide prime-time television dramas are Colors TV, Star Plus, Sony Entertainment Television, Sun TV, and Zee TV. In 2017, networks attempted to regain viewership by reintroducing shows in the afternoon and daytime slots. Star Plus briefly revived the afternoon slot, but it ended by September 30, 2017.
Left Right Left on SAB TV followed the story of six cadets at an Indian Army academy.
Biographical dramas based on historical figures gained popularity on Indian television. Notable examples include Chanakya, Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan, Veer Shivaji, Jhansi Ki Rani, Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Rudramadevi. These shows depicted significant moments and figures from Indian history.
Popular comedy shows include Khushiyan, Soni Mahiwal, Baa Bahoo Aur Baby, Bhaskar Bharti, Mrs. & Mr. Sharma Allahabadwale, Chintu Chinki Aur Ek Badi Si Love Story, Maddam Sir.
Well-known sitcoms include
Crime dramas have been a staple of Indian television. C.I.D. (1998–2018) followed a team of detectives from Mumbai's Crime Investigation Department and became the longest-running crime show in India, airing for 20 years. Other notable crime and thriller series include Suraag – The Clue, Jasoos Vijay, Special Squad, Monica Mogre – Case Files, Adaalat, C.I.D., 24, CIF, and Zindagi Badal Sakta Hai Hadsaa.
Main Banoongi Miss India and Lipstick were notable series focused on fashion.
Fantasy shows like Son Pari, Arslaan, Savitri – Ek Prem Kahani, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Hatim, and Antariksh – Ek Amar Katha were popular in the early 2000s. Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga aired on Sony SAB from 2018 to 2021.
Air Hostess aired on DD National and was produced by Rupesh Gohil. Airlines, produced by Miditech, featured Tulip Joshi and VJ Yudhishtir in lead roles. Other aviation-related series include Saara Akaash and Chhoona Hai Aasmaan, centered on the air force.
Porus, a historical drama about the Indian king Porus, aired on Sony Entertainment Television from 27 November 2017 to 13 November 2018. It is known as one of the most expensive shows in Indian television history, with a budget of over ₹500 crore.
Other popular historical series include 21 Sarfarosh – Saragarhi 1897, Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, Bharatvarsh, Swaraj, Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani – Jhansi Ki Rani.
Tenali Rama, based on the life of the Telugu poet Tenali Ramakrishna, aired on Sony SAB starting on 11 July 2017.
Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain:2008 series of Imagine TV (NDTV Imagine) played by Shernaz Patel who played the role of a English Language Trainer in Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain
In 1993, DD Metro aired Kanoon, a courtroom drama with 111 episodes produced by B. R. Chopra. Another notable legal drama was Adaalat (2010–2016), which focused on a defense lawyer, Advocate K. D. Pathak, played by Ronit Roy.
Shows like Rishton Ka Chakravyuh and Maya explored the complexities of parental relationships but had shorter runs.
Revenge-thriller shows gained significant attention. such as
Captain Vyom, an Indian science fiction series, was popular in the late 1990s.
Superhero shows like Shaktimaan and Aryamaan – Brahmaand Ka Yodha gained popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Daytime family dramas, including noon slots and prime-time retelecasts during the daytime, were highly popular throughout the 2000s to 2010s
Weekdays shows were made during early 2000's as more different serials were launched.These shows were the most known shows of 2000s.
In mid 2000, Romantic serials were being made instead of regular family dramas. It started from Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand and then followed as trend. one of the successful serials which started to add romantic themes and chemistry which were well received a mix of reactions from viewers especially from youths.
The series which gained popularity for their portrayal of strong female protagonists during that period.
Virrudh, Rishton Ke Bhanwar Mein Uljhi Niyati, Maharani, Parrivaar - Kartavya Ki Pariksha are based on how daughters role is important being a pillar support as well as with emotional bond and play a significant pivotal role to their families as well as society and how their significant decisions are best in worst situations.
Though these serials had stipulated run but it had strong emotional theme related to parent hood.Few tele-series were created with a focus on parenthood and the complexities of parent-child relationships, such as
Kesari Nandan and Palampur Express are one of the Indian TV serials that dealt with the challenges of a sports player.
Meri Awaz Ko Mil Gayi Roshni is about the ambitions and passions of Musical singer Sudha Malik and her personal love raj and how she balanced her conflict of her personal and musical professional life.
Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai which is Musical drama television series played by the Jannat Zubair Rahmani, Amrita Rao Mehnaaz Maan and Aditi Vasudev along with Deepti Naval and Zarina Wahab played the lead roles. The story continues with three generations of two sisters whose lives revolve around music which results in misunderstanding and stiff competition
Tu Aashiqui a theme about musical-romance television show with combination and chemistry between Singer Paaki & Musician Ahaan
Dhadkan Zindaggi Kii, Sanjivani, Sanjivani 2 are one of the Indian medical drama television series that dealt with their social, professional-dedication & emotional life
Everest revolves around the mountaineer Anjali Singh Rawat who successfully climbs Mount Everest, created by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Private Limited (AGPPL). A. R. Rahman composed the music for this television show.
one of the best series related to workplace humor
Kolangal mainly revolves around the rivalry between Abinaya who is selfless person and Aditya is her Business rival and half brother.
Majority Indian tv serials take themes and inspirations but they show their own skill of their imaginations, artistry photography and creativity For eg.
One of the most lovable shows one of the romantic shows during its time and received positive response from the audience
But after 2020 viewers started to prefer women centric soaps and accepted age based roles too
In Web platform esp in South language mainly Tamil web content makers create tele-based web series or make parody (slight humour) manner which creates million of views
Few set of viewers prefer short period of time so they view dramatization type of short films or short films which has a Social or Sentimental emotional theme or mixed content or potentially mature content.
TV dramas have had a Significant impact on Indian society, influencing issues related to national integration, identity, globalization, women, ethics, and social issues in rural areas.[18] The first Indian television drama series, Hum Log, originally began as a family planning program but quickly shifted its focus to entertainment. Despite this, it continued to incorporate pro-development messages, serving as a model for utilizing television serials as an "edutainment" method—a practice that has been adopted by countries around the world.
A 2007 study examining the introduction of cable television in rural India revealed that it led to "significant decreases in the reported acceptability of domestic violence towards women and son preference, as well as increases in women's autonomy and decreases in fertility." The study also provided "suggestive evidence that exposure to cable television increases school enrollment for younger children, possibly through the increased participation of women in household decision-making."
After 2000's Indian television serials are based on Target rating point as an indicator and benchmark that signifies a TV programme's success & measures people's interests/viewership . Story line changes based on TRP and sometimes most of the serials have to wrap up soon with quick end due to decrease in the level of TRP's.
TRPs are calculated using the denominator as the Total Number of People in the Target Audience, and the numerator as the Number of People Who Watched the Program in the Target Audience multiplied by 100.TRP's can also be calculated
Indian soap operas gained immense popularity in Afghanistan during the 2000s, building on the pre-existing popularity of Bollywood cinema in the region. In 2006, a Reuters article highlighted the airing of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, dubbed into Dari, captivating a broad audience.
According to reports, during the war in Afghanistan, armed militants may have even paused their fighting to watch Indian dramas.
However, the strong popularity of Indian dramas faced opposition from conservative hardliners who viewed them as a threat to the country's religious and national values. In response to conservative pressure, the government of Hamid Karzai ordered broadcasters to cease airing Indian dramas in April 2008. Broadcasters, however, refused to comply, arguing that the order violated the country's media law.
Afghanistan's first homemade television drama serial, Palwasha, produced by Aina Afghan Media, began airing on November 25, 2007. Though shot in Kabul and in Dari, the series was directed by an Indian director, with several key contributors hailing from India. Additionally, the main character was portrayed by Indian actress Sonal Udeshi.
Caminho das Índias India: A Love Story, a popular Brazilian soap opera, was themed around Indian culture and became widely popular in Brazil.
Khwaish, which aired on Sony Entertainment Television and ARY Digital, became a hit show in Dubai in 2007. In 2016, due to high audience interest, A-Plus TV dubbed the popular romantic Hindi Colors TV serial Jeevan Sathi - Humsafar Zindagi Ke into Urdu, further increasing its appeal.
Indian TV dramas such as Uttaran and Balika Vadhu performed well in Indonesia, where they were dubbed in Indonesian and aired multiple times until their conclusions. Saath Nibhaana Saathiya was also popular and was dubbed under the title Gopi (after the main character). It aired from 15 September 2016 to 19 April 2017 and was rebroadcast from 2021 to 2022, with the Indonesian version reaching 600 episodes. Other serials like Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Ishq Mein Marjawan, Kumkum Bhagya (in Indonesian under the title Lonceng Cinta), Anupamaa, Imlie, Naagin, and Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka also achieved good TRP ratings in Indonesia. Additionally, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke, Jabb Love Hua, Kumkum Bhagya and Punar vivah were aired in Zee Hiburan, its 24/7 General Entertainment Channel in Indonesia, following the success of their original Hindi channel Zee TV. Dastaan-E-Mohabbat Salim Anarkali was dubbed in their Indonesian language and telecasted on ANTV.
Rab Se Sohna Isshq from Zee TV a love triangle story aired in London. This was the first ever cross continental show in Indian television.The show was dubbed into English as Eternal Love and broadcast on Zee World & its sister channel Zee TV UK.
Vaidehi – Ek Aur Agni Pareeksha gained significant popularity in Ivory Coast and Senegal. In 2010, due to high demand, the serial was dubbed into Arabic for broader viewership.
In the mid-2000s, Indian dramas such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kasautii Zindagi Kay gained massive popularity in Nepal, attracting large audiences. This surge in popularity led to the production of more Nepali serials, such as Sindur, Maiti, and Ghat Pratighat, which were created to cater to the growing viewership.
Indian dramas have been widely popular in Pakistan, with Indian shows like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi becoming number 1 against Pakistani Serials. Indians shows were extensively watched due to the mutual intelligibility between Urdu and Hindi. However, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has banned the broadcasting of Indian films and TV shows. Despite this, the BBC reported that many cable television operators in Pakistan continue to violate the ban, airing Indian television serials due to their high demand. Indian TV shows make up nearly 60% of all foreign programs broadcast in Pakistan.
In June 2006, Pakistani comedian Rauf Lala won the Indian comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, but Pakistanis could not follow the show as it was not allowed to air in Pakistan. An official remarked that "Bollywood and Indian TV drama have invaded our homes".
Indian TV dramas have become so popular in Pakistan that mainstream newspapers, such as the Pakistan Tribune, often feature articles about the shows. Many viewers have resorted to satellite connections to enjoy uninterrupted coverage of Indian programs.
Despite the historical anti-Indian sentiment in Pakistan and the fact that the two countries have fought four wars over a span of about 50 years, Indian TV shows and Bollywood have led to a shift in perception, with many ordinary Pakistanis viewing India and Indians more favorably. Indian tourists visiting Pakistan have noted that people tend to be particularly friendly when they discover that the visitor is from India.
On October 27, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan reinstated the ban on Indian content on local channels. Channels such as Filmazia and Urdu1 subsequently shut down Indian content for a period.
The Indian serial Dishayen was dubbed in Russian and gained popularity in Russia in 2005.
The Hindi serials Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagii Kay were dubbed in Sinhala and received a great response in Sri Lanka. Another popular show, Kindurangana, which was a remake of the Hindi serial Kasamh Se, also garnered a positive reception from Sri Lankan audiences.'Shanti'serial which was popular during 90's was dubbed in Sinhalese and aired in Sri Lanka .
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon was dubbed in the Turkish language.
Tu Tevha Tashi the Marathi daily soap dubbed into English as 'Never Too Late for Love' for African viewers & aired on Zee Africa.
The series The Iron Handed Phantom – Mayavi was dubbed in Mandarin and Korean, and also aired in Europe and Australia. Additionally, several popular Colors TV dramas, such as Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, Balika Vadhu, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Chandrakanta, Udaan, Naagin, Shakti, Ishq Mein Marjawan and Bepannah, were dubbed in Thai to cater to viewers in Thailand and other key South Asian markets.