Shekhar Kapur on 'Udaan' legacy: We need that kind of TV again
Mumbai, Feb 12
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur took a trip down memory lane as he recalled the immense popularity of the iconic television series "Udaan," saying the country needs value-driven content like that again.
Shekhar took to X, formerly called Twitter, where he shared a still from the TV Udaan, which had its final episode air in 1991. He recalled how "Udaan" became a big phenomenon at a time when television had only one channel.
"A still from the series UDAAN. It came at a time when the only channel was Doordarshan. It became a rage. I couldn't go anywhere without being mobbed. In small towns and villages I was known as 'Collector Sahib' because that was the character I played .. such was the power of TV then."
The filmmaker revealed that the show had a deep social impact, particularly on women who were inspired to pursue careers in civil services.
"Not just that, the number of women I meet holding such important responsibilities in the IAS, Foreign Service, and IPS .. that were inspired by the series to study for and take those positions still amazes me ..."
"Calling for a return to meaningful storytelling, the filmmaker added: That was the power of TV then .. a TV with values, the kind of TV we need now in Bharat .. we need to find that again."
"Udaan" was created and directed by Kavita Chowdhry and was based on the real-life story of her sister, Kanchan Choudhary Bhattacharya, who went on to become India's first woman Director General of Police.
"The series was created and directed by Kavita Chowdhry , and was based on the story of her sister, Kanchan Choudhary Bhattacharya .. who became India's first woman Director General of Police."
"Udaan" followed the story of Kalyani Singh's father, who urges her to work towards gaining a respectable position in the society, she battles gender discrimination and various other problems to become a police officer.
He also spoke about an incident from the time he was shooting for "Bandit Queen" in a village in Uttar Pradesh.
He added: I was filming in a village in UP for Bandit Queen. Thousands of people turned up and I was surprised why .. and they said 'Hum Collector Sahib ko dekhney aye hain' Such was the massive popularity of the series."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Shekhar Kapur is spot on. Doordarshan era had a different charm and purpose. Shows like Udaan, Buniyaad, Nukkad... they had soul and a message. Now with 500+ channels and streaming apps, quantity has overtaken quality. We need producers with the courage to make value-driven content again.
While I agree with the sentiment, I think we should be careful about romanticising the past. Yes, Udaan was brilliant, but today we also have some fantastic web series tackling social issues. The medium has changed, but meaningful stories are still being told if you look for them.
As someone who watched Indian TV in the 90s while living abroad, Udaan was a cultural touchstone. It showed a progressive, aspirational India. The fact that it was based on a real woman's achievements made it so powerful. More biopics like this, please!
"Hum Collector Sahib ko dekhney aye hain" – this line gave me goosebumps! It shows how deeply characters entered our lives. Today, actors are celebrities. Back then, they were the characters they played. That's the difference. Truly iconic.
My bua (aunt) is in the IPS. She always says Udaan was the spark. When everyone said girls should just get married, this show told her she could wear the uniform. We need to bring this back into schools, show our kids what real heroes look like. Jai Hind!
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