In the 1980s and the early '90s, when most households had only a channel of Doordarshan, the national broadcaster was more than just a pop culture touchstone. Its shows of the era, including 'Hum Log', 'Buniyaad', 'Fauji', and 'Shanti', not only entertained the nation but also launched the careers of some of India’s most enduring actors.
At a time when Bollywood was still a closed star system, television emerged as the primary platform to launch an acting career. Artists like Shah Rukh Khan, Shefali Shah and Mandira Bedi got a break thanks to Doordarshan shows. On the other hand, there was an established theatre actor like Rajit Kapur, who found a vital new medium to build a parallel career on screen.
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Today with the advent of OTT, an emerging parallels is undeniable. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar have become the new Doordarshan in a way.
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