Popular Old Shows and Serials on DD National Channel – Airtel DTH

The hype around ‘90s shows are the best’ isn’t baseless! 90s kids had the privilege to experience some of the most engaging DD National old serials on their television sets. The shows reflected the new India, changing and developing while keeping its traditions intact. It was a new age for television entertainment and Indian shows didn’t disappoint.

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We all remember the theme song of the Doordarshan channel and the revolving logo. It is nostalgia at its best. We are here today to take you through the same journey with your favourite old Doordarshan serials through this article. Keep reading to dive into DD National nostalgia here!

Related read: List of popular Old TV shows & serials on SONY SAB Channel

Lis of Old Shows and Serials on DD National Channel

• Hum Log (1984)
• Vikram Aur Betaal (1985)
• Buniyad (1986)
• Malgudi Days (1986)
• Ramayan (1987-88)
• Bharat Ek Khoj (1988)
• Mahabharat (1988-90)
• Circus (1989)
• Byomkesh Bakshi (1993)
• Shaktiman (1997- 2005)

1. Hum Log (1984)

Characters: Badki, Basesar Ram, Dr. Ashwini Kumar, Dadaji, Usha Rani, Lajo, and others.

Director: P. Kumar Vasudev

Shows like Hum Log shaped the new India and finally shed light on the struggles of a middle-class family. It was the first soap opera on Indian television.

2. Vikram Aur Betaal (1985)

Characters: King Vikramaditya, Betaal, Madansena, Bhadrakaal, Rani Padmini

Director: Vaibhav Mutha

Based on a work of 11th-century poet Somdev Bhatt, Vikram Aur Betaal deals with King Vikramaditya and the ghost Betaal. The King carried Betaal on his shoulders every night to another place in silence. En route, the spirit would narrate him a story and pose a tricky question at the end of every story, which if answered correctly, could save him from Betaal’s wrath.

3. Buniyad (1986)

Characters: Lala Gaindamal, Janko (Chai Ji), Munshi Khajanchand, Ram-pyari, Ram-pyara, Raliya Ram, Shanno, Labhaya Ram, and others.
Directors: Ramesh Sippy, Jyoti Sarup

Buniyad meaning foundation is one of the famous old Hindi Doordarshan serials. It’s set in 1947 and deals with the story of the Indian partition. The show follows the story of Haveliram who lived in Lahore pre-partition and had to move to Delhi, post-partition.

4. Malgudi Days (1986)

Characters: Venkatesh, Mani, Nitya, Muniya, Swami, Kamala, and others.

Director: Shankar Nag and Kavitha Lankesh

Everyone remembers R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi Days. The series presented a collection of short stories in every episode. The series was very popular back in those days as it presented real and relatable characters in every story.

5. Ramayan (1987-88)

Characters: Sita, Ram, Laxman, Hanuman, Janak, Ravan, and others.

Director: Ramanand Sagar

This DD National old serial is one of the most popular shows of all time. It was even telecast again during the COVID-19 lockdown and could be watched on DTH set top box of any kind. Based on the epic Ramayana, the show became the most-watched television series in the world during its run.

6. Bharat Ek Khoj (1988)

Characters: Nehru, Draha, Sardar, different characters for every episode.

Director: Shyam Benegal

One of the most informative shows on DD National about India, Bharat Ek Khoj telecast 53 episodes based on the book ‘The Discovery of India’ by Jawaharlal Nehru. The show covers the 5,000-year history of India from its origin to its independence in 1947.

7. Mahabharat (1988-90)

Characters: Krishna, Bhisma, Yudhishthir, Arjuna, and others.

Director: B.R Chopra, Ravi Chopra

Comprising 94 episodes, Mahabharat is based on the ancient Sanskrit epic. The story follows the lives of Pandavas and the Kauravas along with the epic war of Kurukshetra. War, politics, ego, and real values, Mahabharat includes it all.

8. Circus (1989)

Characters: Shekharan Rai, Chintamani, Valsamma, Sultan, Professor Bowkar, Sahdevan Rai, and others.

Director: Aziz Mirza, Kundan Shah

This Shah Rukh Khan starrer 1989 show is a mini-series including 19 episodes. It follows the story of an Apollo Circus and the people involved in the same. King Khan had just started off his career with TV back in those days and who knew, that the innocent young lad would eventually rule the hearts of millions today.

9. Byomkesh Bakshi (1993)

Characters: Byomkesh Bakshi and others

Director: Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay

Referred to as the Indian Sherlock Holmes, Byomkesh Bakshi is a detective who solves complicated cases using his observational and logical skills along with knowledge of forensic science and deductions. Byomkesh regarded himself as the truth-seeker or Satyanweshi in the show.

10. Shaktiman (1997- 2005)

Characters: Pandit Gangadhar Vidyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri aka Shaktiman, Gita Viswas, Tamraj Kilvish, Dr. Jaikaal, and others.

Director: Dinker Jani

Our own Indian superhero, Shaktiman was created by Mukesh Khanna. The story deals with how Kalyug had changed the world and Shaktiman is here to protect people from vices like greed and hatred.

You can explore more shows of DD National online on various OTT platforms. Hope you liked going on this nostalgic ride with us!

Also read: List of popular Old TV shows & serials on Colors Channel