80s and 90s in India

80s and 90s in India

Having born in the first half of eighties, my generation saw the launch of cable TV, cartoons, WWE(WWF), POP music, internet and several other things that would make up and shape up the minds of the young minds of India in the years to come.

Let me take you through this unique experience with first hand records on music, culture, lost breeds, urban scenes, travel, TV,cinema and a whole lots of stuff.VCR and VHS tapes were huge words in those days, a TV was almost there in any middle class family but it was just transforming from the black and white cathode tubes to color televisions. Brands like dianora, solidaire and Onida were ruling the roost. In my case there was this other brand called Crown which came out with Cresida series, promoting through campaigns like Color Crown Cressida.

TV/Cinema/Music and lifestyle (fall 80s and early 90s)

I could remember the scenes as silent yet closely bound(thanks to big families). Doorsharshan was doing a great job in bringing out shows like Turning point, superman series and several other shows from BBC - National Geographic and some home made. National programme was introduced in 1982. In the same year, colour TV was introduced in the Indian market with the live telecast of the Independence day speech by then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 15 August 1982, followed by the 1982 Asian Games being held in Delhi. The 80s was the era of Doordarshan with soaps like Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986-87), comedy shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984) and mythological dramas like Ramayan (1987-88) and Mahabharat (1988-89) glued millions to Doordarshan. Other popular programs included Hindi film songs based programs like Chitrahaar and Rangoli and crime thrillers like Karamchand .A few background music loops from those are still ringing in my ears. Some are mocked and some lost in today's scene. "Takeshi's castle" is a reminiscent of its originals - a similar programme from Germany called telematch. Didi's comedy show (Jetix) was running in DD.Nobody would miss out Oliyum Oliyum.I fondly remember people talk in conjuction with that, in similar ways with which soap serials are done these a days. Old never miss out the Thamizh news and the young ones are made to watch the same. There were a few great series and a few social awareness cartoons that still lingers(Ek Anek - surprisingly sung by Shreya Goshal). It was an era when nobody complained that there is only one channel, but out of the blue doordharshan came out with this thing called METRO channel and regional channels. METRO channel was a huge hit as it aired many songs and movies and thus opened an entertainment chapter in TV. I remember the pongal comedy pattimandram where in there was a topic of Pasu maadu VS Eruma Maadu, nattupura paatu by Dr. Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan- remember the songs- onnam padiyirangi,2aam padiyirangi. The trend of airing programmes late through the night came up and people began to sleep late, wake up late and all that jazz.

Before going into the next few phases of television and a different period, VHS tapes and VCR require a special mention. VHS tape rental was the staus quo in those days, almost anybody would have watched atleast 2-3 movies in it. In those days the VCR player would go for rounds along with the tapes, what it did along with entertainment is that it opened up the gateway to the west. People began to speak about movies like Terminator, Star trek, Home alone, Rambo,Rocky etc."Maine pyaar kiya" and "Sholay" were bought all over India as VHS tapes .It lived a short life just like today's VCD vs DVD vs Bluray, as cable TV and tamil channels burst open the scenes.VHS tapes were still made but only for communal functions. It was a lifestyle product not to mention washing machines which were prototypes in those days. Videocon came by and introduced the first generation - with tag line "It washes, it rinses, it even dries or clothes, in just a few minutes", there was this other brand which taglined - " I am taking this with me to Japan" - guess it is citizen. A special mention to rajini has to be made, it was during this period that he gained to superstardom, every damn movie will run just for his presence. Strangely in all his movies he would be named as "Raja". The music loops were boring but it would be made up by excellent sequencing and extraordinary voices (SPB and Susheela).

Jeans ang baggies /Salwar kameez would dominate in the years to come. Frocks were worn only by anglo-indian teachers and lil girls,Skirts had a natural death. TShirts and round-necked shirts came into existence. Baggies gave way to the current anti-fit trend and bell-bottoms had a hair-cut and is renamed as boot-cut pants. It was the days of Complan boys and complan girls, along with it came "Boost is the secret of my energy". Brands like Bournvita,MILO, MALTOVA etc did well. Do you guys know that the original complan girl and boy is Ayesha Takia and Shahid Kapoor. The advertisement industry with the arrival of heavyweights like Coke, PEPSI made bollywood what it is today (wiped out local colas like Kalimark, bovonto,fruitnik, goldspot) . BSA came with the revamped cycles along with Lady bird series targeted at girls. LUNA the predecessor of sunny/scooty made a simple run. Chennai was becoming a smaller place.

What metro channel and late VHS culture brought to India is Michael jackson, Bryan adams, Madonna and other big names. MJ's 80's phenomenon was grappling India only in the late 80s and early 90s. One has to say MJ made Prabhudeva what he is today.

TV/Cinema/Music and lifestyle (94+ 2000s) AR Rahman era

It was the days of Junoon,Karamchand ,Dekh bhai Dekh(an Indian version of "Mind your language" -BBC sitcom). Rewinding I remember Junoon being cast as "Pidivaatham" in tamil as well. The colorful days almost had no complaints. There is a saying called "All good things are free", and now with Tata sky - I fondly reassure myself thinking of how joyous those days were. Jain TV can be hailed as the original Cartoon network : It broadcasted very old cartoons, and thus educating young minds with fables and fairy tales. It brought about a show called "manal manidhan' which never was broadcasted - but , "Mann.. the promo was scary".

Nobody will forget those two weeks of Oliyum oliyum, where in songs from Roja were played in TV. AR Rahman just changed the way music was heard and composed. Firstly "Chinna chinna aasai" and "Pudhu vellai mazhai" in the second week. It sent chills down the spine in every sense. It was played over and over in AIR, and what a moment it was. The coming years brought in a huge chapter in Indian media, cable TV. Star Plus, Star Movies, Star Sports, Jain TV, Sun TV along with the cablewala's own channels were in the cart. What transcended down then is history.Sun TV came late into the scene -in cable, even though it was on air (It was exclusively for dish holders). Star plus was the entertainment option and MTV asia was the only music channel. Sun TV claimed fame with its original soaps like Rahuvamsam and psychedelic shows like Marma dhesam. It got everybody's attention fair and square.

Buses were rebranded as MTC from Pallavan, and 4 stroke bikes like 4s champion and 2stroke Yamaha took over from Royal enfield and bullets in the early nineties (which were superceded by splendour and subsequently by pulser). The scooters were officially scrapped off from existence. TVS 50 rallied all over Tamilnadu. Brand consciousness increased and Mount road was and partly is the hoarding street carrying movie stars as well as brands and ad campaigns. Complexes grew around mount road and attracted youth from college road - making Nungambakkan, T Nagar grew up to what it is today. The entire lifestyle thing had lots to do with IT, and the trend of big salaries. Globus, lifestyle jumped into the act and forced Naidu hall, saravana stores to reinnovate. Chennai grew as a city massively from 85 to 2k, creating many districts and making way for single family culture.Ethnic and casteist gatherings were soon shrugged off as the land rates increased. Chennai became the capital city in real sense by carrying a healthy diaspora of people from all ethnic backgrounds.

http://nonstriker.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/the-best-of-the-best-made-better/

1996 saw cricket world cup being aired and played all over India. 1998 was the year of Sachin and "The Desert Storm". Between 1996 and 2001 "Pistol" Pete Sampras ruled all grass courts. Schumacher was the God of Speed and Tiger Woods was and is the smooth criminal. Michael Jordan was flying all over the basketball court.Definitely it was the days of Titans.

Late 90s and 2000s saw POP music and band culture at their peak again. There was a band here, there and everywhere. Many a names revolved around this period and now it is in Hip hop mode. Got to say that the hype has gone down a bit. The desi fication of MTV took place and consequently VH1 was born. Suddenly India fit in the global puzzle big time.

WWF was a big craze - children who din't know about it - were clowned off, from classes. It was making its rounds as Trump cards, stickers, post cards, VHS tapes and all such memorabilias, a recent trend that i could associate it to is Power rangers or something of that range. It had a natural death when superstars from WWF went on to join WCW nitro, which did not take off that well. It was the era of Hitman VS Diesel.Preceeded by yokozuna, undertaker etc. The 2000 reincarnation saw rock VS HHH VS Stone cold raise above all, and let all hell loose. Thereafter with CAS system, the craze did not go off well with viewers.

Food/Festivities and Scenes (fall 80s and 90s)

Nobody will forget the festivities of yesteryears and how special they were. The festivities were more religiously observed and intensely celebrated. The sweets preparation and home decor will start - one week prior to the actual day. They would also be on a stringent budget and would be very much a family affair with all regrouping at one place. It is only on these days that families will be able to afford for new clothes. People will look forward to the festival very much for many such reasons that it all would make a pongal or deepavali very special. Which is not the case these a days.

Food has not changed much - but the way it has been prepared has. People are opened up to many new dishes (indian and international), though i would say fast food culture was an entirely 2000+thing. The traditional Geetha nivas, or Vasudheva bhavan or an Udipi hotel saw a slump.The reverse effect came into existence from 2002 onwards where in, people searched for authentic south indian (home made) food. Hotels like Rathna cafe, Murugan idli kadai stayed authentic, while saravana bhavan became contemporary. Pizza became a buzz word and made a grand entry with Dominos, pizza hut and pizza corner. In reality they were just not affordable. The goli soda and paneer soda were completly wiped off from the city by 2001. North Indian traditional dishes like Kachoris/samosas and their "CHAAT" stalls were well recieved late in this period and opened up another dimension. It has become a rare sight to see "Kai yaendhi bhavan" these a days. I remembered fondly of them, when I visited to a temple in AP, the stretch from our hotel to the shrine was reminiscent of yesteryears.

There is an account of people missing from Chennai in the mentioned period, those rare species are spotted here and there nevertheless.

http://chennai.metblogs.com/archives/2007/10/the_missionary_agenda.phtml