F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b

Now it seems impossible. At a time when we have more than 100 channels, to imagine a world with only one channel and that too in B&W! Transmission would start only by 7 am and then the Doordarshan logo will slowly unfold in its own lazy pace. The only pause button was “Rukawat ke liye khed hai” We all loved the line, but hated it whenever it would appear on screen. Am still not sure who wrote the copy.

Chitrahar, Chanakya, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Buniyaad, Circus, Intezaar, Vikram Betaal, Faster Fene, Nukkad, Fauji, Flop Show, Ramayan, Mahabhaat, Alif Laila, Spiderman, Discovery Of India (Bharat Ek Khoj), Karamchand, Surabhi, Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne, Mirza Ghalib, Rangoli…the list is too long! The faces are still fresh. Growing up was so much fun!

We were a generation DD-addict! Saw everything that was shown on DD except late night “vyaskoon ke liye” movies. That wasnt allowed at home. Managed to catch it few times at a friends place when his family members were out on vacation. I even used to watch “muk-badheroon ke liye samachar” on sunday afternoons, with an excuse to learn sign language. The obsession was so much that at a point I used to remember the day of the week by the name of the show/soap. If last night Chitrahar was on air, then it must be thursday today. Rangoli used to be the only reason to wake up early on sundays. Still remains the best show on musical countdown. One topic, and songs from almost every era!

And then one day, the Raj Kapoor’s hit song came on air…pyaar hua ikraar hua, pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil! Liziye Deluxe Nirodh! The word wasnt in our dictionary then. What was it ? The ever curious mind fuelled by the raging hormones tried hard to figure that out and finally it did. The song never remained the same. Doordarshan wasnt just a channel then, it was a way of life. A member of family, almost every family. Too many stories, nostalgia never ends.

The money is here, techonology all around but where is Mirza Ghalib ? Will we ever get another Naseeruddin Shah on tv ? The Big B’s and the Small D’s would come and go, get the eye balls and make bank balance. Thats it. But there is some hope, thank god for  youtube! Everything is not lost.  

BTW, if you are wondering why this rewind button all of a sudden, here is the info that triggered it…

On September 15,1959, the Delhi Television Centre went on air for half an hour, three days a week and inaugurated by Sh. Rajendra Prasad, President of India from Vigyan Bhawan. It’s 50 years of Doordarshan!

Saw Salma Sultan (without the rose though) on CNN IBN and NDTV today at prime time bulletin. Aha…pure magic! Remember DD news ? She still has that calmness on her face. And that charm! No shouting, no barking like today’s news anchors!

Here are the two of my all time favourite songs from good old DD days.