DEBOLINA ROY
Though the series is remembered fondly for its humor, the character of Maya Sarabhai was revolutionary. This is because Maya Sarabhai was a refined, articulate, and independent woman who kept her domestic affairs run like a CEO. Unlike the “sacrificing” mothers of those days, Maya Sarabhai is depicted as elitist and smart.
Mandira Bedi’s performance as Shanti still holds iconic status to date. The series had a young aspiring journalist who comes to a palatial house to write a biography, but with a motive of finding her biological father. Shanti was an epitome of a fighting spirit; in fact, she comes from a situation that would intimidate most women.
Directed by the acclaimed Basu Chatterjee and starring the late Priya Tendulkar, Rajani is the voice for the common man. The storyline is about the life of a typical housewife who does not believe in being passive about social injustice.
Well before Sex and the City, India had Sunita & Poonam, starring actual sisters Ratna Pathak Shah & Supriya Pathak. This series portrayed the lives of two single, employed women living in the city. It was one of the most progressive hindi TV shows, especially for talking about financially depicting women.
Hasratein was quite the bold move for its generation. The show explored the intricacies of an unfaithful relationship, an unhappy marriage, and the dynamics of the same from the point of view of the female protagonist. The series was far from portraying the female protagonist, Savi, in the easy categorization of bad people or good people.