Television has changed over the years, a fact no one can argue with. The shows which we grew up watching are nowhere to be seen and TV has been taken over by protagonists turning into flies, or living a dual life juggling between being human and a snake. All the supernatural elements which have found a way to our drawing rooms apparently is what the audience is interested in. As true as this is, the old television shows are the ones which are badly missed.
The likes of Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Kahin Toh Hoga and Kutumb, were not only family entertainers, but these shows were also the ones who taught romance. The kind of love stories which were restricted to novels found their way to televisions and subtly explained what love means. Be it Parvati calling her husband, Om with cute gestures, or how Anjali’s duppatta flew in the wind to make Kavya fall in love with her, these serials did understand filmy romance and gave many the first understanding of love.
Here is looking back at five such serials and their love stories. These love stories served a beginner’s guide for 90’s kids and probably no one can forget them.
Kkavyanjali:
A still from Kavyanjali starring Eijaz Khan and Anita Hassanandani
The name of this serial, produced under the banner of Balaji Telefilms, was the amalgamation of the names of its protagonists Kkavya and Anjali. Played by Anita Hassanandani and Eijaz Khan, in lead roles, Kkavyanjali, was the story of soul mates who got separated. The serial had no dearth of romantic sequences and it being shot in picturesque locations only added to the beauty of it. The way Kavya stared for long into Anjali’s eyes, or how he was taken in awe of her and thought of each day as new one to express his love, was wonderful. Chances are if you have seen this serial, you would know how Kkavya and Anjali epitomised romance.
Kasauti Zindagi Kay:
A still from Kasauti Zindagi Kay
Towards the end of this long-running show, it became more about Prerna’s (Shweta Tiwari) marriage with Mr Bajaj (Ronit Roy) and her life around her children. But when the show started in 2001, it was primarily on Prerna and Anurag’s (Cezanne Khan) love story. Childhood friends Prerna and Anurag did not know when they fell in love but later became inseparable. The two exchanged love letters on leaves, cared for each other immensely and then united in death. Anurag and Prerna were an example of a couple whose love didn’t know any bounds.
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Kutumb:
We fight with the ones we love a lot and this was the gist of Kutumb which aired in 2001. Real life couple Hiten Tejwani and Gauri Pradhan Tejwani made for an amazing on-screen couple. The show started with Pratham and Gauri fighting, getting married and living in a joint family. Since Gauri and Pratham were surrounded by people they had to steal moments to spend time with each other. What set their romance apart from others was the petty arguments they indulged in. It was not all lovey-dovey only but had a pinch of salt as well.
Kahiin Toh Hoga:
A still from Kahiin To Hoga
This serial which started in 2003 was loved by many and Rajeev Khandelwal was one of the reasons. Kashish (Aamna Sharif) and Sujal (Rajeev Khandelwal) made for a lovable couple in the serial. In this show, Sujal played a no-nonsense businessman who hired Kashish seeing her dedication. An innocent Kashish fell in love with Sujal and their office romance was too mushy.
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Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii:
Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii aired for nine long years and kept viewers hooked. How Parvati (Sakshi Tanwar) protected her family from all difficulties was the gist of this serial. But beyond that, it was also the subtlety with which Parvati and Om’s (Kiran Karmarkar) love story was shown. Parvati and Om were from different worlds with the latter being from a middle-class family. How their love story unfolded amid all the tensions in their family, made for a sweet watch.
