Hum Log (TV series)

Hum Log
Genre	Soap opera
Written by	Manohar Shyam Joshi
Directed by	P. Kumar Vasudev
Starring	Vinod Nagpal; Jayshri Arora; Rajesh Puri; Abhinav Chaturvedi; Seema Bhargava; Divya Seth; Sushma Seth
Opening theme	"Hum Log" by Anil Biswas
Country of origin	India
Original language(s)	Hindi
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	154
Production
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	Approx. 25 minutes
Release
Original network	Doordarshan
Picture format	480i
Original release	7 July 1984 –; 17 December 1985

Hum Log (English: We People) is an Indian television soap opera and also the first serial drama series in India. It began telecast on Doordarshan, India's national network on 7 July 1984, then the only television channel of India.[1] It is the story of an Indian middle-class family of the 1980s and their daily struggles and aspirations.[2][3][4][5]

It was created on the lines of a Mexican television series, Ven Conmigo (1975), using the education-entertainment methodology. The idea of the TV series came to then Information and Broadcasting Minister, Vasant Sathe, after a Mexican trip in 1982. Soon the idea for Hum Log was developed in collaboration with writer Manohar Shyam Joshi, who scripted the series, and filmmaker, P. Kumar Vasudev, who went on direct the series.[6][7] The title score was composed by music director Anil Biswas.

At the end of every episode, veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar discussed the ongoing story and situations with the audience using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, introduced the actors who played various characters in the serial and end his monologue with the various Indian language versions of the words "Hum Log".

Cast and characters

Ashok Kumar as Narrator
Vinod Nagpal as Basesar Ram: alcoholic father
Joyoshree Arora as Bhagwanti: the mother, a housewife
Rajesh Puri as Lalit Prasad a.k.a. Lalloo: the eldest son, unemployed and looking for a job
Abhinav Chaturvedi as Chander Prakash a.k.a. Nanhe: the younger son, aspiring to be a cricketer
Seema Pahwa as Gunvanti a.k.a. Badki, a social worker
Divya Seth as Rupvanti a. k. a. Majhli, aspiring to be an actress
Loveleen Mishra as Preeti a.k.a. Chhutki, aspiring to be a doctor
Lahiri Singh as Dadaji: retired military man and the grandfather
Sushma Seth as Imarti Devi a.k.a. Dadi: the grandmother
Renuka Israni as Usha Rani, Lalloo's wife
Kamia Mulhotra as Kamia Lal
Aasif Sheikh as Prince Ajay Singh
Manoj Pahwa as Tony: Guy who elopes with Majhli
Suchitra (Srivastava) Chitale as Lajwanti ak.a. Lajo
Kavita Nagpal as Santo Tai
Ashwini Kumar as Dr. Ashwini Kumar
Rajendra Ghuge as Inspector Sadanand Samdar
Aparna Katara as Dr. Aparna
S. M. Zaheer as Prof. Sudhir
Vishwa Mohan Badola as Music teacher

Development and production

In 1984, Mexican television writer Miguel Sabido, who had written the popular Mexican telenovela on educational entertainment, Ven conmigo (Come with Me, 1975) on adult literacy, was invited to India. Working with local writer, he helped created the series which tackled social issues like family planning, caste harmony, empowerment of women, national integration, dowry, alcoholism and drug abuse.[1][8] Ven conimgo was in turned based on the a Peruvian telenovela, Simplemente María (Simply Maria, 1969-1971).[1]

The cast would meet for rehearsals at 3 pm at Himachal Bhavan, near Mandi House in Delhi, and thereafter a van would take them to a studio in suburb Gurgaon where it was shot.[6]

Reception

During its 17-month run, Ashok Kumar received over 400,000 letters from young viewers, asking him to convince their parents in marriage of their choice.[1]

References

Stephanie Hegarty (27 April 2012). "How soap operas changed the world". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
"Hum Log, 25 years on". Rediff.com.
"An episode in history". Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
Sinha, Meenakshi (8 July 2009). "25 years on, viewers still remember 'Hum Log'". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
"Hum Log: Revisiting that 80's show". Hindustan Times. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
Alaka Sahani (23 August 2009). "Sister Act". Indian Express. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
"Looking back at Hum Log". indiatogether.org. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
Jeff Crider (20 September 1987). "Adult Literacy, Birth Control Addressed in Dramas : Third World Soaps Tackle Social Problems". LA Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

External links

Hum Log on IMDb

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[bbc-1] Stephanie Hegarty (27 April 2012). "How soap operas changed the world". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

[2] "Hum Log, 25 years on". Rediff.com.

[3] "An episode in history". Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2009.

[4] Sinha, Meenakshi (8 July 2009). "25 years on, viewers still remember 'Hum Log'". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2009.

[5] "Hum Log: Revisiting that 80's show". Hindustan Times. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2019.

[exp-6] Alaka Sahani (23 August 2009). "Sister Act". Indian Express. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

[inda-7] "Looking back at Hum Log". indiatogether.org. Retrieved 8 July 2009.

[8] Jeff Crider (20 September 1987). "Adult Literacy, Birth Control Addressed in Dramas : Third World Soaps Tackle Social Problems". LA Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.