New Delhi: Gone are the days when Indian soap operas were based on original ideas that dealt with real-life situations of the Indian society and the problems arising out of them. The entire neighbourhood used to be deserted when Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayana’ aired on Doordarshan channel. People gathered around their television sets to watch family dramas like ‘Hum Log’, ‘Musaddi Lal Ke Haseen Sapne’ ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’ ‘Chandrakanta’ etc. that gained immense popularity for their unique storylines.
Then came the era of women-oriented tv shows like ‘Shanti’ and ‘Kora Kaagaz’ among others, that were ahead of its time and showed a mirror to the society. Mandira Bedi and Renuka Shahane rose to popularity after their succesful stint in these serials. Another hit drama was ‘Koshish’ starring Sandhya Mridul and Varun Badola.
Ekta Kapoor’s first successful production ‘Hum Paanch’ was a breath of fresh air, that was based on the story of a family of five sisters, their father and their step-mother. The show gained immense popularity for its storyline and the comic timing of the actors. ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ was another popular drama that was every household’s favourite.
Then came the era of the Saas Bahu dramas where Ekta Kapoor ruled the television industry, producing content after content beginning with the alphabet K and launched a number of newcomers that later became one of the most popular actors of the television industry. The early 2000s were also a treat for children and teenagers with a slew of shows like ‘Shaka La Ka Boom Boom’, ‘Son Pari’, ‘Karishma Ka Karishma’ and my personal favourite, ‘Shararat’, among many other popular dramas like ‘Just Mohabbat’, ‘Sanjivani’ etc.
As people started getting bored of the conventional saas bahu dramas with almost the same plot and storyline in every other serial, the makers decided to venture into a different genre and came up with supernatural flicks like ‘Naagin’, ‘Brahmarakshas’ and other such dramas that were all based on a popular movie in some way or the other. Ekta Kapoor gave many teenagers their heartthrob in the form of Vivian D’Sena with the serial ‘Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahani’ that was based on the popular fictional drama ‘Twilight’.
All was fine till the content was based on a popular movie or show, until content czarina Ekta Kapoor decided to make the audience go nuts by making a cringe-worthy Indian version of the popular supernatural drama ‘The Vampire Diaries’, that still remains a favourite of most of the 90s kids for all the right reasons. Who can forget the charm and aura of the Salvatore Brothers, or the crazy yet always there for each other trio of Elena, Bonnie and Caroline? Not to forget, the unwavering Originals who could go to any extent for their family and a hundred more reasons that not only made the eight-part series binge-worthy but also holds a special place in all supernatural thriller lovers’ hearts.
With ‘Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal’ gaining the centre-stage, here’s taking a look at Indian shows that not only drew inspiration from popular sitcoms but spoilt it for the audience:
1. Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal – The Vampire Diaries
While ‘The Vampire Diaries’ is still a rage, its ‘sasta’ version in the form of ‘Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal’ is pure cringe. From the characters to the scenes, everything screams the word ‘COPIED’. It’s actually humorous to find how popular elements in the original series have been renamed in the copied version, making it all the more tacky. For example, ‘vervain’ that had an impact on vampires and burnt their skin is referred to as ‘Shyam Tulsi’ in the serial. The Salvatore Brothers have been replaced by the Oberoi Brothers played by Gashmeer Mahajani and Karan Kundrra, werewolves have been replaced by bulls and the Originals have been replaced by ‘Rajvanshi Bhediyas.’
The serial has become a meme material with its content, and viewers are left questioning the makers that they could have simply translated ‘The Vampire Diaries’ in Hindi, saving them from all the cringe. On videos of the episodes going viral on social media, some users even commented that they would prefer “washing their eyes with Shyam Tulsi” after watching ‘The Vampire Diaries’ in 140p.
Don’t belive me? Take a look:
2. Hello Friends- F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Even after decades of the show being aired, this American sitcom continues to be one of the most popular shows of all time. Spanning over 10 seasons, the lead characters Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe still resonate with the audience for some or the other characteristic that they had. And who can forget Janice’s laugh that sounded more like a horse’s neigh. How would you react if someone tried to sabotage your fond memories related to the show with a copied version? Hello Friends did have a host of actors like Nikhil Chinappa, Maria Gorretti and Cyrus Brocha who are otherwise well-known for their comic timing yet failed to make a mark in ‘Hello Friends’. The result of the epic failure was, DISAPPOINTMENT!
3. Sumit Sambhal Lega- Everybody Loves Raymond
Another Indian television programme that failed to match the drama, splendour, or hilarity of the well-known American sitcom ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’. The show aired on Star Plus in 2015 and though it was not cringe and had a runtime of 108 episodes, it could not live up to the grandeur of the original series that spanned nine seasons with a total of 210 episodes.
4. The Office- The Office
When Indians tried to create their own version of The Office, a British programme that was masterfully adapted into a renowned American drama and gave us one of the best bosses of all time, it turned out to be a fiasco.
5. Kumkum Bhagya- Sense & Sensibility
An Indian soap opera based on the novel and television miniseries by Jane Austen. In a matriarchal society, the plot centres on the lives of sisters. While the show revived Shabbir Ahluwalia’s acting career and brought Sriti Jha to the fore as one of the leading television actors, the drama, despite having a promising narrative, was unable to stand out from the other saas-bahu soap operas that were shown. The constant twists and turns with fights and arguments between the lead characters Abhi and Pragya or the controversies thatched by the supporting characters, ultimately made the serial not binge-worthy but cringe-worthy.
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