Over the last four decades, Indian television has gone from being a space of experimentation to one struggling with creative stagnation.
In the 1980s, shows like Hum Log set the tone for socially aware storytelling. They explored issues such as gender discrimination, superstition, and education, blending entertainment with purpose. These early shows educated audiences while setting a gold standard for future television.
For many who grew up before the rise of the internet, classics like Malgudi Days, Shanti, and Captain Vyom offered fresh genres and memorable characters. Such diversity is rarely seen today.
The late 1990s and early 2000s marked a shift. With private channels entering the scene, television turned into a mass entertainment platform. Soap operas with endless storylines replaced thoughtful writing. Serials like Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai stretched simple plots over thousands of episodes, turning once-engaging stories into background noise for household routines.
Domestic melodrama and sensational themes began driving viewership. Substance gave way to spectacle. While many blame OTT platforms for TV’s decline, creative fatigue had already set in long before streaming arrived.
Even long-running shows like Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, once known for their social humour, now rely on repetitive sets and forced character changes. The decline of genres like detective, horror, and science fiction shows this loss of variety.
Children’s channels like Disney, Hungama, and Nickelodeon have also shifted towards repetitive cartoons, moving away from creative series like Best of Luck Nikki, Suite Life of Karan and Kabir, and Art Attack.
Reviewers say production houses underestimate their viewers especially women, who form the largest audience for television today. Assuming that audiences want only melodrama has limited innovation.
Despite its slump, television still holds importance for millions who lack access to OTT platforms. But staying relevant doesn’t automatically bring back respect.
Reviving the legacy of Indian television means returning to strong stories and honest creativity so the next generation knows that television was once a space where you could be entertained, not exhausted by endless choices.
