Indian television developed leaps and bounds in the 1990s with many new channels and many new TV serials that were followed by millions of people from all over the country. This was a time in Indian television where serials were developed in such a way to show the modern Indian women and also a change in society. Many serials showed strong women and women empowerment was a theme that ran consistently throughout these serials. The following are some of the top Hindi TV serials of the 1990s that showcased women empowerment:
90’s Hindi TV Serials That Shows Women Empowerment
Shanti
Mandira Bedi played the lead role in Shanti and this was a serial that showed the struggles of a woman in a man’s world. Shanti is a story about a journalist who is working hard to uncover serious crimes by the key antagonists in the story. Her struggle to get justice has dramatically portrayed and this was a popular show in the 1990s.
Saans
Men have cheated on their wives since the beginning of marriage as an institution. In India, a man cheating on his wife and then how a strong woman deals with the situation was portrayed effectively in Saans. Nina Gupta’s character was cheated on by her husband in the serial and this breaks up the marriage. The character’s journey of becoming independent, standing up on her feet and taking care of her family shows how women can lead a fulfilled life even after a breakup.
Swabhimaan
Mahesh Bhatt, one of India’s top directors along with Shobha De, one of India’s top writers created Swabhimaan in the 1990s and this serial lasted more than 500 episodes making it one of the top serials in India at that time. Kitu Gidwani played the main role of Svetlana in the serial and this serial was considered a feminist show at the time. Swabhimaan is a story about Svetlana as she deals with insults and inheritance wars. Extra-marital affairs, quarrels, emotional turmoil’s, and power games made this show worth a watch.
Rajani
In the 1990s, Doordarshan was still an important TV channel with many good serials. Rajani was a serial that was directed by Basu Chatterjee and the lead role was played by Priya Tendulkar. Rajani is a middle-class character who fights the government to solve problems in society. Different social ills were taken as topics, where the character though middle class, fights for what is right and for the change that needs to take place in society. This serial was one of the top serials to showcase women empowerment in society.
Heena
India is a diverse country with people from all faiths residing in this country. Heena was a serial in the late 1990s about a Muslim woman who marries and on her wedding night is told by her husband that he is in love with another woman. This show showcases the difficult journey of divorce, remarriage and various trials and tribulations for a woman in Indian Muslim society and was considered a serial showcasing women empowerment during that time.
Hasratein
Unhappy marriages and extra-marital affairs were bought to the forefront in Hasratein. This show was depicted as a very modern show that showed empowered women forging their destiny. Forced marriages, unhappy marriages, extramarital affairs and difficult decisions to end marriages in divorce were all part of the plot in Hasratein and were one of the popular serials of the 1990s.
Tara
Tara was a bold show for the 1990s and was keenly followed by people in India for many years. Tara is about an ambitious and very modern woman named Tara and her group of friends in modern Indian society. This is a story about different women in modern society and their friendship, turmoil in their personal lives and also extra marital affairs. Tara had negative aspects to her character and it was very new for the Indian audiences to see women go after what they want without a care in the world.
In the 1990s, Indian television transformed itself with many new channels and shift into the new and modern world. Doordarshan was not the only avenue available for Indian television audiences and during this period there were many hindi tv serials that showcased the modern Indian woman and also had themes of women empowerment during that time.
