When it comes to nostalgia, there’s nothing that makes us feel it quite the way a Doordarshan serials 90s list can. The shows from that era were not only iconic but shared realistic (for most part) stories of people struggling with everyday-life issues. Relatable, hilarious, dramatic, scary, thrilling, sad, happy, these shows did it all!
In this blog, we bring you a very legendary Doordarshan serials 90s list. Continue reading to see if any show is to your liking and make sure to check it out!
Best Doordarshan Serials 90s List
Without further ado, read below for the Doordarshan serials 90s list:
1. Malgudi Days TV Series
| IMDB Rating | 9.4/10 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Star Cast | Venki, Anant Nag, Sudheendra |
| Directed By | Shankar Nag (seasons 1-3) Kavitha Lankesh (season 4) |
| Serial Running Duration | 1986–2006 |
| Number of Seasons | 4 |
| Number of Episodes | 54 |
Malgudi Days was one of the most iconic TV shows of the 90s. The narrative was drawn by renowned cartoonist R. K. Laxman and it was based on R.K. Narayan’s collection of short stories of the same name. The TV show was initially broadcast in Hindi before being translated into English. It was remade in 2006 by director Kavitha Lankesh.
2. Flop Show
| IMDB Rating | 9.2/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Jaspal Bhatti, Vivek Shauq, Savita Bhatti |
| Directed By | Jaspal Bhatti |
| Serial Running Duration | 1989 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 10 |
One of the most iconic TV shows from the 90s is “Flop Show”. The show only aired for 10 episodes, but it left a lasting impression on viewers. The show was known for its unique opening sequence, gags that were intercut with the cast credits, and popular Hindi songs that were parodied and played at the conclusion.
3. Shaktimaan
| IMDB Rating | 8.2/10 |
| Genre | Action, Superhero |
| Star Cast | Mukesh Khanna, Vaishnavi Mahant, Surendra Pal |
| Directed By | Dinker Jani |
| Serial Running Duration | 1997–2005 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 450 |
One of the first TV shows in India to centre on a super hero, Shaktiman was distinctive in that it instilled moral principles in children at the conclusion of each episode. The Indian version of many foreign superheroes, Shaktiman was an absolute inspiration to anyone who watched the show. This served as the main selling point for the show, which was a big hit with kids in the 90s. The popular programme is undoubtedly one of the most popular shows on our Doordarshan serials 90s list!
4. Byomkesh Bakshi TV Series
| IMDB Rating | 9.2/10 |
| Genre | Detective, Thriller |
| Star Cast | Rajit Kapoor, K.K. Raina, Kartik Dutta |
| Directed By | Basu Chatterjee |
| Serial Running Duration | 1993–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 2 |
| Number of Episodes | 32 |
The first Hindi television series of its sort, Byomkesh Bakshi, was based on the life of the investigator Byomkesh Bakshi. Undoubtedly, it belongs on our list of 90s Classic Doordarshan Serials. It was the most well-liked and praised adaptation to air on DD National. During the lockdown, the episode was repeated on the same channel, and many people hurried to watch the icon that is Detected Byomkesh solve crimes using his brilliant deduction techniques!
5. Shree Krishna
| IMDB Rating | – |
| Genre | Mythology |
| Star Cast | Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, Pinky Parikh, Reshma Modi |
| Directed By | Ramanand Sagar Anand Sagar Moti Sagar |
| Serial Running Duration | 1993–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 221 |
The mythological program Shree Krishna is a necessary component of the classic Hindi serials from the 1990s. This TV show was based on the life of Lord Krishna. Ramanand Sagar wrote, produced, and made it. The show broadcasts once a week on Doordarshan, receiving praise for its storyline and each actor’s powerful performance. The series was once more broadcast during the Covid-19 shutdown from 3 May 2020 to 16 December 2020.
6. Mahabharat
| IMDB Rating | 9/10 |
| Genre | Mythology |
| Star Cast | Harish Bhimani, Nitish Bharadwaj, Mukesh Khanna |
| Directed By | B. R. Chopra Ravi Chopra |
| Serial Running Duration | 1988–1990 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 94 |
This pioneering mythological TV show had many people glued to the screen. Very few homes had a television in the late 1980s. The television-equipped homes became the gathering place for TV viewers, particularly for Mahabharat devotees.
7. Shriman Shrimati
| IMDB Rating | 8.7/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Jatin Kanakia, Reema Lagoo, Rakesh Bedi, Archana Puran Singh |
| Directed By | Rajan Waghdhare |
| Serial Running Duration | 1994–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 143 |
Shriman Shrimati was partially based on the Love thy Neighbour television series in England. Veteran performers with charisma like Rakesh Bedi, Reema Lagoo, Archana Puran Singh, and Jatin Kanakia appeared in the program. It was a touching performance that left viewers speechless!
8. Tehkikaat
| IMDB Rating | 8.5/10 |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Star Cast | Vijay Anand, Saurabh Shukla, Firoz Ali |
| Directed By | Vijay Anand Shekhar Kapoor Karan Razdan |
| Serial Running Duration | 1994–1995 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 42 |
A new criminal case is solved by two private investigators, Gopichand and Sam D’Silva, in each episode of the mini-crime drama series. The concert features some of Tellywood’s top performers, including Saurabh Shukla and Supriya Karnik.
9. Dekh Bhai Dekh
| IMDB Rating | 8.6/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Navin Nischol, Farida Jalal, Shekhar Suman, Bhavna Balsawar, Sushma Seth |
| Directed By | Anand Mahendroo |
| Serial Running Duration | 1993–1994 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 65 |
The list would be incomplete without this family drama. One of the popular TV shows among millennials is the TV series on Doordarshan. This broadcast focused on the benefits of living in a joint family, whereas other TV shows focused on the Saas Bahu drama. Although the cheery family has experienced some difficulty, it has not dimmed their disposition.
10. Captain Vyom
| IMDB Rating | 8.4/10 |
| Genre | Action, Science fiction |
| Star Cast | Kartika Rane, Milind Soman, Shehzaad Saeed |
| Directed By | Ketan Mehta |
| Serial Running Duration | 1998–1999 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 54 |
Captain Vyom is the following old serial on the DD National list. It was the first television program to depict life in the year 2123, when humankind will have colonized the solar system and built space stations on several planets. The show’s narrative centered on Captain Vyom-Milind Soman, a super-soldier by birth.
11. Alif Laila
| IMDB Rating | 8.1/10 |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Star Cast | Firoz Ali, Girija Shankar, Damini Kanwal Shetty |
| Directed By | Anand Sagar Prem Sagar Moti Sagar |
| Serial Running Duration | 1993–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 143 |
Alif Laila must be included while discussing the list of Doordarshan’s old serials. The fantasy entertainment was the authentic Arabian Nights story. It had several tales, including intriguing characters, lessons, flying carpets, fairies, and lights. As a kid in the 1990s, you undoubtedly watched this series.
12. Tu Tu Main Main
| IMDB Rating | 8.3/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Reema Lagoo, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Mahesh Thakur |
| Directed By | Sachin Pilgaonkar |
| Serial Running Duration | 1994–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 169 |
One cannot overlook the renowned program Tu Tu Main Main while discussing the previous serials from 1990 to 2000. The humor between the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law dominated this well-known sitcom. From 1994 to 1996, it aired on the DD Metro and aired on the Star Plus channel.
Because of its success, the program was dubbed in several languages, including Tamil. The program returned with an expanded celebrity cast in the following years and was met with the same acclaim. If you haven’t seen it already, watch it online.
13. Fauji TV Series
| IMDB Rating | 8/10 |
| Genre | Action |
| Star Cast | Shah Rukh Khan, Rakesh Sharma, Vikram Chopra |
| Directed By | Lt. Col. Raj Kumar Kapoor |
| Serial Running Duration | 1989 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 10 |
It was Shah Rukh Khan’s debut performance; he is currently one of India’s highest-paid Bollywood stars. We wish there were more TV shows available to watch, but this has to be on the list of 90s Doordarshan serials. During the shutdown, Doordarshan rebroadcasted the TV show. What if a new Fauji is created? It would rank among the most popular TV programs, but it must feature the king of romance.
14. Jungle Book
| IMDB Rating | 7.5/10 |
| Genre | Anime |
| Star Cast | – |
| Directed By | Fumio Kurokawa |
| Serial Running Duration | 1989–1990 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 52 |
Do you still recall the song Jungle Jungle Pata Chala Hai Chaddi pehen Ke Phool Khila Hai? Who can forget the TV show’s theme song? Gulzar provided the song’s lyrics. The program was broadcast under several names in numerous nations. It gained popularity among children in India. The program’s protagonist was a cub man reared by a pack of animals.
15. Zabaan Sambhal Ke
| IMDB Rating | 8.1/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Pankaj Kapur, Rajender Mehra, Vivek Vaswani |
| Directed By | Rajiv Mehra |
| Serial Running Duration | 1993–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 2 |
| Number of Episodes | 106 |
I wish every student had a Hindi instructor like Mohan Bharti. Famous TV actors from the show’s cast included Shobha Khote, Rajendra Mehra, Pankaj Kapur, and a long list of others. The 1977 episode of the English television program Mind Your Language served as the sitcom’s inspiration. Even now, there remains a sizable fan base for this classic.
16. Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne
| IMDB Rating | 8.2/10 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Star Cast | Kamia Malhotra, Ruma Ghosh, Raghuvir Yadav |
| Directed By | Prakash Jha |
| Serial Running Duration | 1989–1990 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 52 |
The focus of Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne was Mungerilal, who was ruled by his wife at home and his employer at work. Additionally, his father-in-law exalted his accomplishments. Mungerilal uses daydreams to get away from reality. The program was one of the top comedies of the 1990s and inspiring.
17. Raja Aur Rancho
| IMDB Rating | – |
| Genre | Comedy, Detective |
| Star Cast | Ved Thapar, Rancho |
| Directed By | Murli Nalappa, Rajan Waghdhare |
| Serial Running Duration | 1997–1998 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 179 |
The investigator Raja and his monkey helper Rancho were the show’s main characters. They both solved a different case in every episode with their humor and bright minds. Later, the program was also shown on DD Metro.
18. Chitrahaar
| IMDB Rating | 7.1/10 |
| Genre | Music |
| Star Cast | Tarana |
| Directed By | – |
| Serial Running Duration | 1982–Present |
| Number of Seasons | – |
| Number of Episodes | – |
It is among the earliest TV shows to be featured on DD. It featured several retro hits that touch the hearts of audiences to this date, all of which are collected in the show. It still airs for 30 minutes every Wednesday. The show carries the title of being one of the most popular TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s. The program continues to be shown on the same stations with subtitles.
19. Itihaas
| IMDB Rating | 7.7/10 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Star Cast | Joan David, Priya Tendulkar, Prabha Sinha |
| Directed By | Gogi Anand |
| Serial Running Duration | 1996–1997 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 488 |
Ekta Kapoor worked with Balaji Telefilms to co-produce the Indian drama series. The protagonist of the story is the princess Ambika, who wants retribution for the murder of his spouse. One of the well-known Doordarshan programs from the 1990s was the cult drama. She succeeds in obtaining justice after battling through all the difficulties. The program attracted a sizable fan base and was televised for two years.
20. Swabhimaan
| IMDB Rating | 6.8/10 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Star Cast | Kitu Gidwani, Anju Mahendru, Rohit Roy |
| Directed By | Mahesh Bhatt Debaloy Dey |
| Serial Running Duration | 1995–1998 |
| Number of Seasons | 1 |
| Number of Episodes | 800 |
Because of the massive fan following the TV series had in the 1990s, Swabhiman must be included in the list of Classic Doordarshan Serials. The main character of the Indian soap opera was Svetlana, a young woman of great beauty. The show’s script was written by acclaimed writer and author Shoba De, and veteran Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt directed it. Last but absolutely not the least on our Doordarshan serials 90s list, it is a must watch!
FAQs
Which was Doordarhsan’s first ever serial?
The first ever TV serial broadcasted on Doordarshan aired in 1984 and was called ‘Hum Log’. The Show received immense audience support and continues to have a solidified position among some of the most legendary Indian TV shows every made.
Conclusion
We hope you found our Doordarshan serials 90s list helpful and were able find a show that fits your taste! Make sure you let us know in the comments below which one is your favourite and what topic we should cover next. Thanks for reading!
