Best Indian TV Shows of All Time

25 Indian TV shows

 1. Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993) : People Like Us, Only Way Funnier

Anand Mahendroo put together an ensemble cast with great comic timing – Sushma Seth, Navin Nishchol, Shekhar Suman, Farida Jalal – in Dekh Bhai Dekh, which was shown on DD Metro. The story was of a khandan with all sorts of idiosyncrasies. Plus: a young Deven Bhojani playing Karima, the obese domestic help with panache. Also, Liliput, the writer, did several cameos.

  

2. Antakshari (1993): The Great Indian Singalong, And You Knew The Words

When Antakshari started in 1993 on Zee, nobody thought it would go on to become so popular. Using a combination of normal antakshari along with rounds based on audio and visual clues, the simple household game got a glamorous makeover. Host Annu Kapoor became synonymous with the show, though his co-hosts – a succession of women – kept changing over 11 seasons. Part of the joy of Antakshari was that audiences themselves played along with the show.

  

3. Tara (1993) : The First Touch Of Feminism

Four girls. Interweaving storylines of friendship, ambition, love, and secrets. When Raman Kumar’s soap, Tara, written by Vinta Nanda, aired on Zee in 1993, viewers were riveted. With its refreshingly honest depiction of urban women, it gave viewers their first taste of feminism and made the cropped haired Navneet Nishan a household name. Tara was axed five years later. Says Nanda: “I remember the programming head calling me to his office and saying, ‘women like you should not be allowed in the country’. I knew I had done something right!” Navneet Nishan with a young Alok Nath.

4. Philips Top Ten (1994) : Hit Songs, Hilarious Hosts

Wadda Kaun? Tussi.” Say this line and TV viewers of a certain generation will start to smile. That is the recall of Philips Top Ten, which aired on Zee from 1994 to 1999. A music countdown show in which the lines of the anchor duo were often more anticipated than the songs it featured. The show turned Satish Kaushik and Pankaj Kapur, who played two rustic Punjabi brothers, into household names.

   

5. Office Office (2001) : Laughing Along With The Common Man

This show, which touched a chord with thousands of TV viewers at the turn of the century, was a comment on our bureaucracy. First aired on SAB TV in 2000, it took a scathing dig at the exploits of a man who runs into red tape, corrupt officials and middlemen in the government.

  

6. Shanti (1994) : Love, Sex, Dhokha Aur Drama

Yatin Karyekar, Mandira Bedi and Amar Talwar in a still from Shanti . (HT Photo by Ashok Punatar).

The first ever daily soap on Indian TV, Shanti aired on DD National in 1994 and re-ran on Star Plus later. A drama series that acquired a cult following, it delved into the story of two friends and their heavily guarded past that is unearthed layer by layer when a young journalist called Shanti arrives in their midst. Dark, slightly sinister, Shanti was an explosive mix of love, treachery and betrayal.Shanti, played by Mandira Bedi – with her flowing curly hair and big bindi – became one of the most iconic TV characters.

7. Swabhimaan (1995) : The Other Side Of The Other Woman

A daily soap that aired from 1995 to 1997, Swabhimaan was every Indian woman’s guilty afternoon indulgence. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, scripted by author Shobhaa De and writer/actor Vinod Ranganath, the serial revolved around a unique premise. Svetlana (played by Kitu Gidwani) is a mistress whose rich patron dies. She struggles to deal with the emotional turmoil that follows his death along with bitter inheritance wars and succession rights with the legitimate family.How Svetlana manages to keep her swabhimaan (self-respect) against the flurry of emotional attacks on her identity is what formed the basis of the show. Swabhimaan was a big success on DD, and as Bhatt says, it launched the careers of many actors like Rohit Roy, Sandhya Mridul, Ashutosh Rana and Manoj Bajpayee.

8. Filmi Chakkar (1995) : Turning Comedy Into A Superhit

Satish Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah.

It was supposed to be a show of film songs with stories woven around them. But the producers ran into copyright issues and it became a sitcom about a film-obsessed family on Zee. Ratna Pathak Shah played Rukmani, the wife. Satish Shah, who came up with the idea, played Prashant, her husband. They had two kids, and there was a dadi, who unlike the others, was not too fond of films and was often traumatised by the proceedings. Eventually the gags became repetitive and the show reached its expiry date. There was a reboot, but it failed to impress.

9. A Mouthful of Sky (1995) : When Indian TV Spoke English

Rahul Bose, Rajeev Mulchandani, Shiuli Subaya, Neesha Singh and Milind Soman in A Mouthful of Sky, (Photo: HT Photo).

Written by Ashok Banker, A Mouthful of Sky was India’s first English-language television series, and had names like Anant Balani, Mahesh Bhatt and Ajay Goel among its directors. It began with a reunion and quickly turned into a thriller, which was eerily similar to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Owing to its ‘bold’ content, it was aired during a late-night slot on DD Metro – but its plot kept the audience hooked to the screen even post 11pm. The other thing that worked for it was the dream (or rather, dreamy) cast: Milind Soman, Rahul Bose, Ranjeev Mulchandani, Samir Soni, Mukul Dev, Parvin Dabas, Arjun Rampal, Simone Singh, Ayesha Dharker, Kruttika Desai and Kamal Sidhu.

10. Saans (1998) : A Breath Of Reality

Before the saas, there used to be Saans. The saga of marital ennui and extramarital excitement enacted and created by Neena Gupta in 1998 for Star Plus predated the deluge of saas-bahu soaps which have numbed viewer sensibilities. Her role of Priya as the loyal wife cheated upon by her husband caught the fancy of audiences.While people were glued to their sets, Gupta was attacked for endorsing adultery. “I’m just mirroring society. What happens to Priya... can happen to any of us,” she said in interviews.

11. Aahat (1995) : Big Chills on the Small Screen

For 20 years – with some breaks in between – Aahat has been haunting audiences across the country. It started in October 1995, when Sony first launched. And within two years, Aahat was cable and satellite TV’s most watched show, rating higher than even the soaps. And it overtook the massively popular Zee Horror Show by the Ramsays. This is because Aahat introduced a new kind of horror – its director BP Singh, in an interview had said, “We don’t call ours a horror show for it’s not a horror show” – it wasn’t gory and it didn’t involve dollops of make-up, but relied on suspense, deep plots and special effects to induce fear. The show ran in its sixth season last year.

12. Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai (2004) : A Class War With Real Class

Summet Raghavan, Rajesh Kumar, Satish Shah in a typically crazy scene from Sarabhai vs Sarahai. (Hindustan Times)

Rukmani (Ratna Pathak Shah) and Prashant (Satish Shah) were back as Maya and Indravadan Sarabhai on Star One, a few pounds richer and heavier, living in a swish SoBo apartment. Their sons were called Sahil (Sumeet Raghavan) and Rosesh (Rajesh Kumar). Sahil had a wife, the ‘downmarket’ Monisha Sarabhai (Rupali Ganguly), bullied by her ‘prim and propah’ saas. Remember the catchphrase, ‘Don’t mind me beta, I’m just making a point’?

13. Hasratein (1996) : Rocking The Boat

In the 1990s, it required a certain bravado to depict extramarital relationships on the small screen. But director Ajai Sinha decided to take that risk. To Sinha’s credit, he narrated the story with great maturity. Based on the Marathi novel Adhantari, written by renowned author Jaywant Dalvi, the Zee serial chronicled the life of Savi, who leaves her husband and gets into a relationship with her married boss. With powerful performances by Shefali, and Harsh Chhaya, the show managed to recreate the fine nuances of a man-woman relationship. Looking at the subject from a woman’s point of view added to the show’s appeal.

14. Astitva-Ek Prem Kahaani (2002) : TV Finds A New Identity

Niki Aneja Walia and Varun Badola, older woman, younger man.

Another show on Zee with an unconventional story. The show, written by Purnendu Shekhar and Gajra Kottary, centred on the life of Simran Mathur (Niki Aneja), a gynaecologist. As the story unfolds, she ends up eloping and marrying a man ten years younger. With a rakish Varun Badola playing Abhimanyu Saxena, the young photographer, the show initially garnered good reviews. After Hasratein, director Ajai Sinha was back in familiar territory and he handled the premise well.

15. Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003) : The Makeover India Loved

Jassi Walia, with her nerdy glasses, braces, clumsy ways and a heart of gold won over her colleagues, her handsome boss and all of us. The story of an ordinary girl with dreams of making it big, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi was a departure from the saas-bahu soaps which were a staple on Indian television at that time. The show’s script made the audience connect with the geeky protagonist. So popular did the Sony show become that fashion designers launched Jassi collections and the Indian postal department even issued a first-day cover featuring the protagonist, played by Mona Singh, on the show’s first anniversary.

16. Sa Re Ga Ma (1995) : When Only The Music Mattered

In the summer of 1995, singer Sonu Nigam hosted the first episode of Sa Re Ga Ma. Within months, thanks to his knowledgeable anchoring and impeccable Hindi diction, Nigam became a popular music talent show anchor. Unlike today’s shows, where the family background of the singers is often taken into consideration, the emphasis in Zee TV’s Saregama, conceptualised by Gajendra Singh, was always on the singing.

17. Kora Kagaz (1998) : Pushing The Envelope

Cricketer-turned-actor Salil Ankola with Renuka Shahane in Kora Kagaz. (HT Photo).

Conceived by Asha Parekh for Star Plus, Kora Kagaz tackled a bold subject: a woman (Renuka Shahane)from a conservative family refuses to take back her husband who had abandoned her on their wedding night, for another woman. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Shahane’s character goes on to have an affair with her brother-in-law, played by cricketer-turned-actor Salil Ankola.

18. Kaun Banega Crorepati (2000) : AB Became The Right Answer

 Amitabh Bachchan, a class act in Kaun Banega Crorepati.

It’s been 15 years since “Computerji, lock kiya jai” entered the Indian lexicon and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) enthralled us. The desi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, KBC became India’s first official adaptation of a big international reality franchise. The prize money, which was a staggering Rs 1 crore when it kicked off, has reached an eyeball-popping Rs 7 crores today.The Star Plus show (later on Sony) also gave a new lease of life to Amitabh Bachchan’s career. Not only did he reinvent himself as a poetry-spouting reverential figure, he also brought acceptability to the idea of Bollywood’s popular stars trying their luck on the small screen. After eight seasons, Bachchan, the show’s biggest attraction (never mind the shaky Shah Rukh Khan interlude), continues to be popular with a new generation of quizzers.

19. Star Bestsellers (1999) : When Bollywood Made Short Films For TV

 A serial killer’s story, shot on a train by Anurag Kashyap. Tigmanshu Dhulia’s take on middle-class adultery. Sriram Raghavan’s riveting tale about the double life of a gangster. Mita Vashist, Rajeshwari Sachdeva and Surekha Sikri playing two generations of women for an episode directed by thespian Rajit Kapur. Rajkumar Hirani making his directorial debut. That’s quite a roll call! The brightest of Bollywood has been part of these hour-long novella-like stories shot with the sensibilities of celluloid, shown on Star Plus. That was the appeal of Star Bestsellers.

20. Movers & Shakers (1997) : Our First Late-Night Laughs

 There was something so international about Sony’s Movers & Shakers, part satire, part stand-up comedy, part celebrity chat show. Shekhar Suman would poke fun at the Prime Minister and then interview Shah Rukh Khan in the same episode! And there was a band too.

21. Crime Patrol (2003) : True Crime, True Grit

This show opened up a new genre on Indian television: true crime reconstructed and police investigations dramatised. The straightforward narrative, well-enacted scenes and focus on crime-solving has made for strangely compelling viewing. The episode that recreated the events of the horrific December 16 gang rape in Delhi garnered record viewership.One of the most popular shows on Sony, Crime Patrol made a popular host out of Anup Soni, a National School of Drama alumnus. He has now became the face of crime reality TV. It also spawned a number of me-too shows, famously Savdhaan India, hosted by Sushant Singh.

22. Indian Idol (2004): Giving Our Stories A Voice

The first Indian Idol winner Abhijit Sawant (far left) on the sets of the show.

Almost 12 years ago, the first episode of Indian Idol (a franchise of Britain’s Pop Idol) was aired on Sony TV. Today, six seasons later, the show has spawned countless mini celebs and much of India has voted for a talented or deserving voice. it’s also become the benchmark for how to deal with criticism from a TV judge and how to go from television to Bollywood playback.

23. Powder (2010): Hot On The Drug Trail

 In 2010, YRF TV, a newly floated unit by Yash Raj Films, introduced viewers to a string of shows that followed the globally popular season format. One of them was Powder, a gripping crime series on substance abuse that was written and directed by Atul Sabharwal, and ran from January to June 2010 on Sony TV.The show stood out for its gritty content and action-packed execution. Set in Mumbai, it chronicled the lives of two men on the opposite sides of the law. Both Usmaan Ali (Manish Chaudhary) and Naved Ansari (Pankaj Tripathi) grew up in the slums, but the former ended up as the head of the narcotics bureau, the latter became a drug kingpin.

24. Stories by Rabindranath Tagore (2015) : Rabi Da Returns

Anurag Basu recreated the magic of Rabindranath Tagore’s stories on Epic channel. Classic tales such as Chokher Bali, with Radhika Apte playing Binodini, and shot in Basu’s inimitable style, were a hit with audiences tired of hackneyed soaps. Also, popular playback singers Arijit Singh, Neeti Mohan and Shalmali Kholgade lent their voices to the soundtrack. What was not to like?

25. 24 (2014) : The New Game-Changer

Anil Kapoor in 24.

In 2009, shooting for season eight of the popular American drama TV series 24 in Los Angeles, actor Anil Kapoor decided he had to adapt the series for India. The result was the desi version of the series, which aired on Colors in late 2013.The show was appreciated by audiences for its production values and taut storytelling.

The first season was on air in 2013, with Kapoor playing an intelligence officer countering attempts to assassinate the prime ministerial candidate Aditya Singhania (played by the solid Neil Bhoopalam).

Best Indian TV Shows of All Time

18. 24

Post the success of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Anil Kapoor was offered a significant role in the American TV show ‘24’. He must have really enjoyed the experience of working in the show so much so that he was prompted to buy the rights of the show for an Indian adaptation. The Indian version of the show premiered in 2013 to mostly positive reviews and was lauded for its big budget, star power and fast paced narrative. It was definitely a watershed moment for Indian television as it almost threatened to bring about a reformation and deliver us from the mundane daily soaps. But alas shows like ‘24’ comes only once in a blue moon.

17. TVF Pitchers

TVF Pitchers beautifully combined two hot topics of the present generation – web series and startup. It was a passion project of the immensely popular ‘The Viral Fever’ team which specializes in producing web series and special episodes. The show was noticed for its originality, casualness and matter-of-fact conversations between four friends – Naveen, Jitu, Yogi and Mandal – on whose professional lives the show is based on. The first season premiered on June 2015 and was immediately lapped up by the netizens and the critics called it a landmark show as it was intelligent as well as entertaining. The second season is all set to premiere later this year on TVF’s official website.

16. Shaktimaan

The euphoria and craze that it created almost two decades ago is still unmatched and fresh in our minds. The first Superhero of India in either films or TV deserves all the attention and accolades that it has been getting since its debut on DD National in 1997. Television content has changed a lot in the a lot in the last 20 years and the kids who grew up watching the show may pretend that they now find the show ‘Shaktimaan’ amateurish and outdated but be rest assured that they are just putting on a show and probably too shy to admit that the freaking love it. Also it’s unfair to compare a show that aired in the late 90s to today’s far more technically superior show. However in the Indian scheme of things we are yet to get a show like ‘Shaktimaan’ that is full on entertainment.

15. C.I.D

I know, I know, the quality of the show has gone down tremendously in the last few years but at one point it was the staple diet for most of us Indians who loves to watch Sherlock Holmes kind of shows. Before American prime time television took over our lives it was hard to imagine a show more sophisticated than ‘C.I.D’. Unfortunately today the show is more meme worthy than watchable. However it still remains one of the most watched shows on Indian TV and any random episode of the show on YouTube can boast of over a million views. One of the USPs of the show is that big Bollywood stars promote their upcoming releases in the show owing to its huge popularity.

14. Dekh Bhai Dekh

Long before cable television took over Doordarshan was the only source of entertainment for us Indians right up to the mid 90s and DD Metro was the hip and happening channel for us. ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ was a sitcom produced by Jaya Bachchan with Shekhar Suman, Navin Nischol and Farida Jalal among others in the extended cast. There was a time when Shekhar Suman enjoyed the same popularity in India as George Clooney did in the US in his TV days. The presence of Mr. Suman was enough to guarantee a good TRP. The show was noted for depicting three generations of a family living together in an ancestral home. Easily, one of the best Indian TV shows.

13. Alif Laila

Ramanand Sagar’s brainchild ‘Alif Laila’ brought alive the stories of Arabian nights in the most delectable way possible on our TV screen. Every Monday night when the theme song of ‘Alif Laila’ used to play before the show started we prepared ourselves for half an hour of pure entertainment full of angels, devils and good Samaritans. The best thing about the show was that it showcased the stories of the Arabian deserts just the way we imagined them to be. It was our only means of escape to a far away mythical land of fairies and witches of which we can only dream about.  The decent production value combined with the aesthetic sense of the Sagar family made sure that the wait every week for the show was totally worth it.

12. Chandrakanta

One of the biggest mega-budget TV shows to be ever put on Indian television, ‘Chandrakantha’ was partly based on Devaki Nandan Khatri’s novel of the same name. It was originally telecast on Doordarshan’s DD National between 1994 and 1996, and was created, written, produced, and directed by Nirja Guleri, the first woman in India to direct an epic film or television series on such a grand scale. If a TV show manages to create characters that live with you forever, that means that show is special. And that’s what ‘Chandrakantha’ did. It gave us characters like Jaanbaaz and Kroor Singh that remain among the most iconic television characters.

11. Khichdi

Aatish Kapadia’s ‘Khichdi’ was that rare show which combined sarcasm, wordplay and situational comedy to outstanding effect. In its 30 minutes running time the show is a nonstop laugh riot filled with adorable dim witted characters who possess the endearing quality of laughing at themselves. It was one of the earliest shows on Indian TV to adopt the model of taking a break after airing a certain number of episodes. The show completed airing way back in 2004 but has since then achieved cult status among the couch potatoes owing to its various reruns year after year. A special shout-out to Supriya Pathak for playing Hansa to perfection.

10. Hum Paanch

Balaji Telefilms’ ‘Hum Paanch’ was a top rated sitcom of the late 90s which featured Vidya Balan in her first acting role. The show centered on Anand Mathur, played by Ashok Saraf, and his five daughters who formed the crux of the show and the source of all misadventures. It had a very daily soap kind of a vibe to it which made it easier for the viewers to relate to the show in a big way. It was telecast on Zee TV (between 1995 -2006) for two seasons and is considered one of the finest Indian sitcoms of all time.

9. Hum Log

India’s first TV show also remains one of the very best. The show was was created on the lines of a Mexican television series, Ven Conmigo (1975) after India’s then Information and Broadcasting Minister, Vasant Sathe, came back from a trip of Mexico. With a total of 156 episodes, the show depicting the lives of middle class Indians seeped into the hearts of everybody and till this day remains one of the most fondly remembered Indian TV shows.

8. Office Office

How many Indian sitcoms can boast of inspiring a Bollywood movie and comic books based on them? ‘Office Office’ managed to pull off the unimaginable with its sheer strength of good content and genuine doses of laughter. With Bollywood actor Pankaj Kapoor in the central role of Mussadi Lal the acting department of the show has always been in safe hands but the show excels beyond our expectations in delivering our regular doses of laughter. The popularity of the show is such that the makers were compelled to create a follow up series called ‘Naya Office Office’ once the show got over.

7. Ramayan

As far as mythological series on Indian TV is concerned, Ramanand Sagar had complete monopoly over it till the turn of the millennium. When ‘Ramayan’ first hit Indian TV in 1987 it was an unprecedented event to say the least. The viewer’s response was so positive – even on its various reruns – that the Limca Book Records honoured it with the distinction of being the ‘world’s most viewed mythological series’. Veteran actor Arun Govil played the role of Ram and he became so popular through the show that even today he is known by his small screen persona.

6. Buniyaad

In the early stage of Indian television most of the shows were directed by filmmakers of repute. ‘Buniyaad’ which dealt with the issue of partition of India and its aftermath was another such which was co-directed by Ramesh Sippy of ‘Sholay’ fame. It is considered to be the first big hit of Indian TV and launched actors like Alok Nath, Kanwaljeet Singh and Kruttika Desai. It was first aired in 1986; every Thursday at 8:30 pm on DD National. Over the years it has been telecasted on various TV networks owing to its immense popularity. The lead stars of the show are established names in the entertainment industry of India today.

5. Malgudi Days

The list would be incomplete without the mention of ‘Malgudi Days’ which was based on the works of the celebrated author R.K.Narayan. It was a very unique show in that it had a very rustic feel to it; the kind of feeling that you get while reading a R.K. Narayan book or story. The biggest contribution of the show was that the Indian viewers finally had a pictorial representation of how ‘Malgudi’ looks like and although it is a fictional South Indian town created by the author it had captured our imagination ever since we were introduced to a R.K. Narayan book in our school days. The show was entertaining and enlightening both at the same time.

4. Sarabhai vs Sarabhai

The popularity of ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’ can be gauged from the fact that it was brought back to life for a second season by the people and for the people. The popularity of the characters (Maya Sarabhai, Monisha, Roshesh) can give the Ross and Rachels of the world a run for their money. Everything about the show is pitch perfect be it the writing, the characterization and the worldly wise humour that never gets old. It is also educational in a very strange way. Maya Sarabhai’s sarcastic taunts to her daughter-in-law can teach you a thing or two about English if you listen carefully. And Roshesh’s poetries are the stuff unintentional comedy is made of. Even the side characters like Madhufufa and Dushyant are equally entertaining.

3. Chanakya

One of the most intelligent TV shows to even broadcast in India, ‘Chanakya’ makes the current Indian shows running on TV look silly. ‘Chanakya’, a 47-part epic Indian television historical drama written and directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi, is a fictionalized account of the life and times of 4th century Indian economist, strategist and political theorist Chanakya (also known as Vishnugupta). Often been hailed as the milestone in Indian television, there are few Indian shows with such strong writing and fascinating characters.

2. Byomkesh Bakshi

‘Byomkesh Bakshi’ was the first Hindi series based on the life of the fictional Bengali detective who was heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes. The quality of writing and imagination that we got to see in ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’ is rare to non-existent these days. Rajit Kapur became a household name thanks to the popularity of the show which was one of a kind on Indian television when it was telecasted between 1993 -1997 and consisted of two seasons. Bakshi’s sidekick Ajit Bandyopadhyay was played by K.K. Raina to perfection. If you missed the show in your childhood then no worries as the show is available for streaming on YouTube. Trust me, it is possibly the most evergreen show on the list.

1. Mahabharat

An easy choice at the top. It is difficult for any show to even come close to the grandness of ‘Mahabharata’. Till date, there has been no Indian TV show that depicted the level of professionalism in terms of production values and story-telling.  It is said that when the show used to be telecast every Sunday between 11 – 12 am, the busy streets of cities across India used to become empty. We Indians love our mythology and when it is being shown on our TV screens there was no question of giving it a miss. The actors who were a part of the show went on to achieve bigger things in life. Most of the major actors in the show would go on to have a successful TV career. Mukesh Khanna who played Bhishma later found unprecedented success with the show ‘Shaktimaan’. Roopa Ganguly who floored everyone with her Draupadi act became a top rated actress in Bengal. It is suffice to say that the show ‘Mahabharat’ was legendary and still continues to be so in the hearts of its viewers.

Great TV Shows OF Indian Television

1. Sarabhai vs Sarabhai

This is probably the funniest show to have ever graced our television screens. This show taught us about the Indian class divide with a lot of classy humour.

2. Sea Hawks

Milind Soman and Madhavan starrer Sea Hawks provided us a brilliant insight into the lives of those who serve in the Indian Navy. The Navy is one of the lesser known divisions of the armed forces but Sea Hawks did a phenomenal job of capturing what it exactly takes to be a member of the Indian Navy.

3. Powder

This thriller was centered around the drug business plaguing the city of Mumbai. Widely considered as an Indian version of The Wire, this show more than just exceeded our expectations.

4. Fauji

Fauji is famous because it was Shah Rukh Khan's debut as an actor in a lead role. Fauji is the coming-of-age story of Lt. Abhimanyu Rai who learns how to become a good army officer. With a very well written script and brilliant acting, Fauji is one of the best Indian TV shows of all time.

5. Sarkar Ki Duniya

This is by far, the best reality show to have ever been broadcast on Indian television. A group of individuals were to live on an abandoned island where they had to build all the facilities they wanted for themselves. There were weekly eliminations on the basis of 'coins' as well. It's a shame that the show only had one season.

6. Captain Vyom

Heavily inspired from Star Trek, Captain Vyom was the first taste for a lot of us Indians in the sci-fi genre. Milind Soman owned the role as the captain of the team that was supposed to capture all the extremely dangerous criminals who had escaped from the 'high security space prison'.

7. Special Squad

The better version of CID, Special Squad is one of the finest detective shows to have made it to Indian television. The show has some awesome acting, direction and background score. If you haven't seen it yet, we heavily recommend you to do so.

8. Mahi Way

In a country plagued with problems like casual body shaming, Mahi Way was centered around an overweight girl who would make no compromises when it comes to finding her Mr. Right. The cliffhanger it ended on still haunts us.

9. Alif Laila

When we were little, the tales from the Arabian Nights were all the rage. Alif Laila brought it to our television screens in a magnificent way. This is the best fantasy show by a margin.

10. Pradhanmantri

This was a series of documentaries on different Prime Ministers of India. Hosted by Shekhar Kapoor, Pradhanmantri covered a lot of controversial events in the history of the Prime Minister's office.

11. Indradhanush

One of the earliest sci-fi shows on Indian television, Indradhanush is famous because of Karan Johar and Urmila Matondkar's stints as actors. Focused around a virus that hijacks computers to take over our galaxy, the show was way ahead of its time.

12. Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne

Little do people know that the Hollywood movie, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, was based on this excellent show. It's about Mungerilal who'd daydream about his 'adventures'.

13. Aarohan

Aarohan was a drama based around the life of Pallavi Joshi's character who used to serve in the Indian Navy. It was a fresh take on the lives of those who serve in the Indian Navy.

14. Tujhpe Dil Qurbaan

A special unit of the Indian army which was dedicated to breaking these sleeper cells formed the crux of Tujhpe Dil Qurbaan. This was a very desi version of 24 before 24 even happened.

15. Star Best-Sellers

Upcoming Bollywood directors had tied up with Star Plus to come up with brilliant short-films in the form of Star Best-Sellers. Anurag Kashyap also worked closely on this one.

16. 24

Anil Kapoor brought the brilliant action-thriller to our screens in the form of 24. The original series was closely followed in the Indian remake and it was brilliantly done.

17. Dekh Bhai Dekh

Dekh Bhai Dekh was one of the most popular comedy shows on Indian television and was a part and parcel of our childhood. We adored every character of the Diwan family.

18. A Mouthful Of Sky

A Mouthful of Sky was the first Indian show to use English as the primary language of communication. Heavily inspired from Agatha Christie's famed novel, this brilliant thriller was a firm favourite among the masses.

19. Tara

The series was known as the first ever Indian soap on contemporary urban women, and was the first Hindi language drama series that ran for about 5 years. This is widely considered as the first taste of feminism for a lot of Indians.

20. Office Office

Mussaddilal has to deal with the lethargy of government officials in different departments to get small things done. The show highlighted the problems with the officials in the public sector while tickling our funny bone.

21. Malgudi Days

Malgudi Days is an Indian television series based on the works of R.K. Narayan. Revolving around Swami and his friends, Malgudi Days is one of the fondest memories of our childhood.

22. Byomkesh Bakshi

Back when detective shows weren't that common, Byomkesh Bakshi showed Indians what we seemed to be missing out on. This is easily one of the best shows to have ever been telecasted on our television sets.

23. Shanti

The story begins with two friends of the biggest Bollywood production house in the country. Two friends live in the lavish Shanti Mansion. Behind the walls of Shanti Mansion lie dark secrets of the past lives of both the friends.

24. Zee Horror Show

Zee Horror Show is a TV series presented by Ramsay Brothers (who were famous in Bollywood for churning out low budget horror films). It featured short stories in the form of 4 to 5 episodes, each one based on suspense and horror and is still remembered as the best horror show on Indian television.

25. Movers And Shakers

Back when Indian politicians and political parties had a sense of humour, Shekhar Suman hosted a brilliant talk show in the form of Movers And Shakers. The show didn't bank of sexist, racist and transphobic humour but was still funny AF.

26. Stories by Rabindranath Tagore

Stories by Rabindranath Tagore features famous stories written by Tagore like ‘Chokherbali’ and ‘Charulata’ on TV in episodic format. Epic channel is new in the business but if they can churn our more shows like this one, it shouldn't take them a lot of time to become a leader in the industry.

27. Bharat - Ek Khoj

Bharat Ek Khoj is an Indian historical drama based on the book The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru. It covers a 5000-year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of independence in 1947 and is directed, written and produced by Shyam Benegal.

28. Chanakya

The series is a fictionalized account of the life and times of the famous Indian economist, strategist and political theorist Chanakya (also known as Vishnugupta) and is based on events starting with Chanakya's boyhood and culminating in the coronation of Chandragupta Maurya.

29. Param Veer Chakra

Param Vir Chakra was an anthology of the different real-life stories of the recipients of the Param Vir Chakra gallantry awards. Every episode will move to tears as you find out about the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers.

30. Shaktimaan

The best part about almost every young adult's childhood, Shaktimaan was, is and will always be the superhero who is closest to our hearts. The show seems all set to make a comeback but we doubt that it'll be close to the magic of the original.

31. Swabhimaan

Swaabhimaan divulges the story of Svetlana who finds herself in a battle where there are no real winners. Insecurity, suspicion and fear threaten to erode her vivacious spirit as she struggles to come to terms with her position.

  

32. Surabhi

Surabhi is a benchmark show in Indian television history and is often referred to as 'one of the best television shows ever made that reflected the length and breath of the Indian culture'.

33. Wagle Ki Duniya

The series was set around everyday struggles, of nervous sales clerk, Srinivas Wagle, who lived with prudence of a middle class person of the time. RK Laxman's brilliance was very well received by the Indian audience.

34. Banegi Apni Baat

This show was focused around the lives of a few college students. The transition from college to professional life was shown for most of the characters. Simultaneously, contemporary business life was also showcased.

35. Campus

Campus underlined the reality about how college life was dictated by politicians who would take advantage of the youth for their own opportunist ideologies. The harsh truth about campus politics was brilliantly portrayed in this show.

36. Shrimaan Shrimati

Shrimaan Shrimati was built on the premise of "love the neighbor's wife." This was a classier version of Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain?

37. Tehkikaat

The series involved resolving mysteries and murders with a touch of humour to it. We still can't get over the innovative gadgets used in the show.

38. Filmy Chakkar

This show was supposed to spin a story while constantly plugging in famous Bollywood songs but due to some copyright issues, they had to put the family at the center of the story. This is a must watch for every Bollywood fan.

39. Flop Show

Back when social satire was unheard of, Jaspal Bhatti came up with a brilliant show in the form of Flop Show. The show didn't do too well when it was first aired but it has become something of a cult hit now.

40. Just Mohabbat

A beautiful coming-of-age story being told from the perspective of a youngster, Just Mohabbat revolved around the life of a boy who befriended a ghost to overcome his problems.

41. Family No. 1

When two families had to share the same bungalow, it led to hilarious situations. Family No. 1 was about these two families and the inherent competition between themselves to be crowned as the Family No. 1.

42. Hip Hip Hurray

This was a show about youngsters who have to overcome their personal problems and be good friends. Fans still hope for a proper reunion of the show.

  

43. School Days

A group of kids were discovering life through their friends, teachers and mentors in this fantastic show. The nostalgia attached to this show is way too high!

44. Hum Paanch

Five sisters living with their parents and indulging in hilarious day-to-day situations of a typical middle class family - that's the simplest possible description for this phenomenal show.

45. Astitva

In a typical patriarchal Indian society, Astitva came as a surprise because it showed an older female protagonist marrying a younger guy. Beautiful story-telling and amazing background score make this show a brilliant watch.

46. Hasratein

Hasratein was about a woman who leaves her husband and maintains an extra-marital relationship with another married man, with both their spouses being aware of the situation. The show opened a dialogue in a rather conservative society of ours.

47. Chitrahaar

Chitrahaar gained extreme popularity in the early 70s and it was a show where the videos of the latest songs in Hindi film (Bollywood) music are televised. It's a show that most of us still have a lot of fond memories for.

48. Shakalaka Boom Boom

The magic pencil which brought every drawing to life is still a dream for a lot of us. Sanju and his friends would go on little adventures with the help of this 'magic' pencil.

  

49. Nukkad

Revolving around the everyday issues face by families with low income, Nukkad has a special place in our hearts. The treatment of the episodes was based on simplicity and reality, making the episodes endearing.

  

50. Karamchand

Long before we had ACP Pradyuman and gang solving crimes, Karamchand kept us at the edge of our seats. I still keep saying 'Shut up, Kitty!' every time a friend of mine says something stupid.

51. Chandrakanta

Chandrakanta is an Indian fantasy television series partly based on Devaki Nandan Khatri's novel. A rare fantasy gem from the Indian television industry, Chandrakanta's cliffhanger still has us guessing about the fate of the titular character.

52. Rajani

The show revolved around a crusading housewife who fights the corrupt, inept civic system. Rajani aired in the mid 80s and created a lot of awareness about the laxity of the government officials.