The monsoons are here! And it's officially time to cosy up with pakodas, steaming hot chai, masala maggi and whatnot! And of course, it is also time to binge-watch some shows. If you, like us, are bored of watching Gilmore Girls, Friends and Modern Family yet again, fret not, for, we have lined up some nostalgic made-in-India television shows you can stream to your heart's content.
Hum Paanch
Where: Zee5
Who could possibly forget Sweety, Radhika, Meenakshi, Kajal and Chotti? Anand Mathur and his five daughters always had us in splits. From Sweety who dreams of finding her Prince Charming and feminist Meenakshi to nerdy Radhika, the sisters were in a league of their own. They shared the house with their father's second wife (Shoma Anand). Father of the girls, played by Ashok Saraf is always troubled thanks to his daughters' antics. But, he adores them nonetheless. Catch the sisters at their witty best and have some hearty laughs.
Family No.1
Where: Sony Liv
The Potia family and the Malhotras! This series, which came out in 1998, was about two families who were forced to share the same rented house. There is Shalini Potia (Tanvi Azmi) with three children and Deepak Malhotra (Kanwaljit Singh), a divorcee with three children. The families, constantly bicker with one another, laugh and go through various emotional rides. Watch this comic take on single parenthood; a coming-of-age dramedy.
Tarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashma
Where: Sony Liv
This show is relatively new, in the sense, it premiered in 2008. In today's world where we tend to be engrossed in our gadgets and rarely speak to our neighbours, a sense of community seems to be slowly dying. At a time like this, Tarak Mehta and his quirky neighbours in Gokuldham Society show how neighbourly relations are important, even if albeit pesky, especially in times of crisis.
Malgudi Days
Where: Prime TV
This show was first aired in 1986, on Doordarshan. The iconic opening tune is unforgettable. The series is based on a short story collection of the same name, by writer R.K Narayan. It follows the chronicles of residents of the sleepy town of Malgudi. As the series went on, it was adapted from other works by Narayan-- Swami and Friends and Vendor of Sweets.
CID
Where: Sony Liv
This is probably, one of the longest running television series in India. The series premiered in 1998 and ran for a course of two decades, till 2018. The series follows sleuths ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam), Sr. Inspector Abhijeet and Sr. Inspector Dayanand Shetty. They solve various crimes in the maximum city of Mumbai.
Hip Hip Hurray
Where: Zee5
This is a coming of age drama- comedy series. Starring Purab Kohli and Vishal Malhotra, the series follows the lives of students at DeNobili High School. If you are in for some high school drama, this is the show to tune into. Take a break from Riverdale and follow the hopes, fears and relationships of these angsty teens instead.
Fauji
Where: Jio Cinema
Don't miss this one-- for it stars the one and only, Shah Rukh Khan! Watch the making of a hero-- literally! The story chronicles the life of Abhimanyu Rai, played by Khan and other youngsters, who aspire to serve their country by joining the army. The series follows the various obstacles they face and overcome en route to bagging the prestigious title of fauji or soldier.
