The channel broadcasted an array of serials that focused on different genres like mythology, comedy, soap opera, and many others.
Some of the top-rated TV series like Shaktiman and Mahabharat were rerun during the lockdown. And, to everyone’s surprise, the TV series broke all the records. They were the most watched serials around the globe.
Owing to their popularity and fan base, TV serials like Tu Tu Main Main and Shriman and Shrimati were remade on the same storyline with the extended or new star cast and got the same love.
While there was no single serial that did not leave a significant impact on us. However, there are a few that need to be watched over again.
Here we have curated classic Doordarshan serials of 90s that one should definitely watch.
Contents
Best Doordarshan Serials 90s List
1. Malgudi Days TV Series (1986 – 2006)
Number of Episodes: 54
Number of Seasons: 4
Directed By: Shankar Nag and Kavitha Lankesh
Genre: Sketch Story
IMDB Rating: 9.5
Synopsis:
First, on the list of DD National old serials list is Malgudi Days. The TV series was primarily telecasted in Hindi and then was telecasted in English. The acclaimed cartoonist – R. K. Laxman sketched the story. The TV series was inspired by the short story collection of R.K. Narayan that had the same name. The series was remade in the year 2006 and was directed by Kavitha Lankesh. You can watch all episodes of this TV series on Hotstar.
2. Byomkesh Bakshi TV Series (1993 –1997)
Star Cast: Rajit Kapur, K. K. Raina, and Sukanya Kulkarni
Number of Episodes: 34
Number of Seasons: 2
Directed By: Basu Chatterjee
Genre: Detective, Thriller
IMDB Rating: 9.2
Synopsis:
Byomkesh Bakshi was the first of its kind Hindi Television serial based on the real-life of the detective -Byomkesh Bakshi. Undoubtedly, it has to be in our Classic Doordarshan Serials 90s List. It was the most acclaimed and celebrated adaption that was telecasted on DD National. The show was re-telecasted on the same channel during the lockdown.
3. Shaktimaan (1997-2005)
Star Cast: Mukesh Khanna, Vaishnavi Mahant, Kitu Gidwani, Surendra Pal, Tom Alter, Lalit Parimoo, Kishwer Merchant, and Zahida Parveen
Number of Episodes: 450
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Dinker Jani
Genre: Action Super Hero
IMDB Rating: 9
Synopsis:
Shaktiman was one of the first TV series based on the Super Hero in India. The show was unique in its ways -as, at the end of the episode, it taught moral values to the kids, which also became the USP of the show. While there are a number of Superhero based TV series but no one could create the same magic. We miss you, Shaktiman! You can binge-watch the episodes of this old DD National serial on Amazon Prime as well.
4. Flop Show (1989)
Star Cast: Jaspal Bhatti, Vivek Shauq, Savita Bhatti, Rajesh Jolly, B. N. Sharma, Kuldeep Sharma
Number of Episodes: 10
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Jaspal Bhatti
Genre: Comedy
IMDB Rating: 9
Synopsis:
Flop Show was a distinctive show that aired at the beginning of the 90s. Though the comedy show had only ten episodes, all the episodes have had a major impact. You can still watch videos on YouTube. The show’s USPs were its distinguished opening sequence and jokes that played in between the casting credits and popular Hindi songs that played at the end in the form of parody. During the pandemic, this one of the oldest 90s Doordarshan serials was telecasted on DD National in 2020.
5. Mahabharat (1988 – 1990)
Star Cast: Nitish Bharadwaj, Mukesh Khanna, Gajendra Chauhan, Praveen Kumar, Arjun, Roopa Ganguly, Puneet Issar, Pankaj Dheer, Gufi Paintal
Number of Episodes: 94
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: B. R. Chopra and Ravi Chopra
Genre: Mythology
IMDB Rating: 8.9
Synopsis:
This was the first of its kind mythological TV series that hooked many to the TV. During the late ’80s, hardly a few houses had Television. The houses which had television became the hub for the TV watchers, especially for Mahabharat fans. Post the original Mahabharat, there are many channels like Star Plus that came up with same stories. However, the original series had its charm and sentiments. No doubt, it comes in the top-rated category of Doordarshan serials 90s list, and you can even enjoy the episodes of this mythological series on Zee5.
6. Shree Krishna (1993-1997)
Star Cast: Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, Deepak Deulkar, Pinky Parikh, and Reshma Modi
Number of Episodes: 221
Directed By: Ramanand Sagar
Genre: Mythology
IMDB Rating: 8.6
Synopsis:
The old Hindi serials of 90s are incomplete without the mythological show Shree Krishna. This serial was based on Lord Krishna’s life. It was written, directed, and created by Ramanand Sagar. The series aired weekly on the Doordarshan. The TV series was applauded for its screenplay and powerful performance given by each actor. During the Covid-19 lockdown period, the serial was again aired from 3 May 2020 to 16 December 2020.
7. Tehkikaat (1994 – 1995)
Star Cast: Vijay Anand and Saurabh Shukla
Number of Episodes: 52
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Vijay Anand, Shekhar Kapoor, and Karan Razdan
Genre: Crime Drama
IMDB Rating: 8.5
Synopsis:
The mini Crime drama series featured two private detectives Gopichand and Sam D’Silva, who solves a new criminal case in every episode. The show has some of the best Tellywood actors like Saurabh Shukla and Supriya Karnik.
8. Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993 – 1994)
Star Cast: Sushma Seth, Navin Nischol, Shekhar Suman, Farida Jalal, Bhavana Balsavar, Vishal Singh, Nattasha Singh, Urvashi Dholakia, Amar Upadhyay, Deven Bhojani, and Sunny Singh
Number of Episodes: 65
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Anand Mahendroo
Genre: Sitcom
IMDB Rating: 8.5
Synopsis:
Doordarshan Serials 90s list cannot be completed without this family drama. The TV series was aired in the Doordarshan is one of the favorite TV serials of millennial. While most of the TV Shows talked about Saas Bahu saga, this show highlighted the perks of living in a joint family. The cheerful family has had their share of struggle, but that did not reduce their cheerfulness.
Also read: Polimer TV Serial List
9. Shriman Shrimati (1994 – 1997)
Star Cast: Jatin Kanakia, Rakesh Bedi, Reema Lagoo, Archana Puran Singh,
Number of Episodes: 143
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Rajan Waghdhare
Genre: Sitcom
IMDB Rating: 8.5
Synopsis:
This popular Hindi sitcom is a part of the Doordarshan Serials List of 90s. The TV series was loosely inspired by the English TV series- Love thy Neighbour. The show had Charismatic veteran actors like Rakesh Bedi, Reema Lagoo, Archana Puran Singh, and Jatin Kanakia.
Who can forget the powerful dialogue delivery of Koki, Dilruba, and Premaji. We definitely can’t get over the serial and wish it could be remade with the same star cast.
10. Captain Vyom (1998-1999)
Star Cast: Milind Soman and Kartika Rane
Number of Episodes: 54
Number of Season: 1
Directed By: Ketan Mehta
Genre: Action
IMDB Rating: 8.3
Synopsis:
Next in DD National old serials list is Captain Vyom. It was the first TV series that showcased life in 2123 when humans will conquer the solar system and establish space stations on different planets. The story of the show focused on Captain Vyom-Milind Soman, who happens to be a super-soldier.
11. Tu Tu Main Main (1994 – 2000)
Star Cast: Reema Lagoo, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Kuldeep Pawar, and Mahesh Thakur
Number of Episodes: 169
Directed By: Sachin Pilgaonkar
Genre: Sitcom
IMDB Rating: 8.3
Synopsis:
Regarding the old serials from 1990 to 2000, one can’t miss the famous show Tu Tu Main Main. This famous sitcom was all about the banter between mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law. It was telecasted on the DD Metro from the year 1994 to 1996, and then it aired on the Star Plus channel. Owing to its popularity, the show was dubbed in different languages like Tamil. In the later years, the show made a comeback with the extended star cast and received the same love. Do watch it on online platforms if you have not watched it.
12. Fauji TV Series (1989)
Star Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Rakesh Sharma, and Vikram Chopra
Number of Episodes: 13
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: R.K. Kapoor
Genre: Action
IMDB Rating: 8.2 stars
Synopsis:
It was the first show of Shah Rukh Khan who is now one of the highest paid Bollywood actors in India. This has to be in the Doordarshan serials List of 90s; we wish we could see more TV series. The TV series was re-telecasted on the Doordarshan during the lockdown. What if Fauji is remade? It would be one of the most-watched TV shows, but it has to have the king of romance.
Also read: Hindi Entertainment Channels in India
13. Alif Laila (1993 – 1997)
Star Cast: Girja Shankar, Damini Kanwal Shetty, Shahnawaz Pradhan, Arun Govil, Seema Kanwal, Shah Nawaz
Number of Episodes: 303
Number of Season: 2
Directed By: Anand Sagar, Prem Sagar, and Moti Sagar
Genre: Fantasy
IMDB Rating: 8.1
Synopsis:
Talking about the Doordarshan old serials list, how can we not add Alif Laila. The fantasy show was the true narration from the Arabian nights. It had a collection of stories with fascinating characters, morals, flying carpets, fairies, and lamps. If you are a 90s kid, then you must have watched this serial.
14. Jungle Book (1989-1990)
Number of Episodes: 52
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Fumio Kurokawa
Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama
IMDB Rating: 7.6
Synopsis:
Remember Jungle Jungle Pata Chala Hai Chaddi pehen Ke Phool Khila hai? Who can forget the opening song of the TV show. The lyrics of the song were given by Gulzar. The show aired in many countries with different names. In India, it became popular amongst kids. The show featured a cub- man who was raised by a group of animals.
15. Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne (1989 –1990)
Star Cast: Raghubir Yadav, Ruma Ghosh, and Kamia Malhotra
Number of Episodes: 52
Number of Season: 1
Directed By: Prakash Jha
Genre: Family Show
IMDB Rating: 7.9 stars
Synopsis:
Classic Doordarshan Serials 90s list is incomplete without Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne. The TV series revolved around Mungerilal, who was bossed by his wife at home and dictated by his boss in the office.
On top of it, his father in law boasted his achievements. In order to escape from the real world, Mungerilal used daydreams. The show was inspirational and one of the best comedies of the 90s.
16. Chitrahaar – (1982 to Present)
Presenter: Donal Bisht
Genre: Musical Show
IMDB Rating: 7
Synopsis:
It is one of the oldest Television programs that feature on DD. The show has a compilation of the songs. It still airs on Wednesday for half an hour. It is amongst the most-watched TV programs in the 80s and 90s. The show is still aired on the same channels with the subtitles.
17. Zabaan Sambhal Ke (1993)
Star Cast: Pankaj Kapur, Rajender Mehra, Vivek Vaswani, Dinyar Tirandaz, Shubha Khote
Number of Episodes: 106
Number of Seasons: 2
Directed By: Rajiv Mehra
Genre: Sitcom
IMDB Rating: 7.9 stars
Synopsis:
Wish we all had a Hindi teacher like Mohan Bharti. The show’s cast had popular faces from the TV industry that includes Pankaj Kapur, Rajendra Mehra, Shobha Khote, and many more to list. The sitcom was inspired by the English show Mind Your Language that aired in the year 1977. This classic has a huge fan base even today as well.
18. Raja Aur Rancho (1997–1998)
Star Cast: Ved Thapar
Number of Episodes: 103
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Murli Nalappa, Rajan Waghdhare
Genre: Detective
IMDB Rating: 6.8
Synopsis:
The show focused on the detective Raja and his assistant Rancho, who was a monkey. They both solved a new case in each episode with their smartness and sharp mind. The show was also telecasted on DD Metro in later years.
19. Swabhimaan (1994-1997)
Star Cast: Kitu Gidwani, Abhimanyu Singh, Anju Mahendru, Deepak Parashar, Kunika, Rohit Roy
Number of Episodes: 800
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Mahesh Bhatt and Debaloy Dey
Genre: Drama
IMDB Rating: 6.5
Synopsis:
We cannot miss Swabhiman in the Classic Doordarshan Serials List of 90s because of the huge fan base the TV series had back then. The Indian Soap opera revolved around a young and beautiful girl Svetlana. The show was directed by the ace Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt and penned by the renowned columnist and novelist Shoba De.
20. Itihaas (1996-1998)
Star Cast: Joan David, Priya Tendulkar, Prabha Sinha, Smita Bansal, Poonam Narula, Ali Asgar
Number of Episodes: 488
Number of Seasons: 1
Directed By: Gogi Anand
Genre: Drama
IMDB Rating: 6.3
Synopsis:
The Indian drama series was co-produced by Ekta Kapoor under Balaji Telefilms. The series centers- a princess-Ambika who seeks justice for his husband’s death. The cult drama was one of the famous 90s shows that telecasted on Doordarshan. After fighting with all the ordeals, she succeeds in getting justice. The show was broadcasted for two long years and earned a huge fan following.
Conclusion
While 80s had serious shows like Buniyad Hum Log, 90s brought a revolution on the Doordarshan channel. During 90s, shows from all the genres like comedy, mythology, family drama, adventures were aired on the channel. If you haven’t watch serials like Shaktiman, Flop Show, and many listed above, you have surely missed the best of the old 90s serials that were aired on Doordarshan. It’s never too late, you can still watch these serials on the online platform, and those who have already watched them can binge-watch them again until they get over it.
Raj Kumar Prasad is a movie buff with a zest for travel and a passion for food. He enjoys sharing his adventures and insights at festalks.com. Whether he’s exploring new destinations, savoring different cuisines, or catching the latest flicks, Raj loves to engage with his readers and spark lively conversations. Dive into his world and discover fresh perspectives on all things fun and flavorful.