Channel V to go off air: A look at some of the most memorable shows

Indians born during the nineties would completely understand the mood of the television at the time. It was comparatively more realistic, richer in terms of content and more relevant in contrast to today’s regressive and unrealistic portrayal of society and its elements. India, being the music-loving nation that it is, found itself obsessed with the trend of music channels — primarily MTV, Channel V, B4U, and others — and thus began a new way of consuming entertainment. There are reports that Channel V will soon be discontinued. With the changing times and choices, these channels, especially Channel V, reduced its musical content and brought in more reality shows, much like its constant competitor MTV. Later, along with these reality shows, there came drama series, shows about love stories — and that’s when they took what may be considered the wrong turn. V Channel’s success went downhill as the TRPs faltered and popularity decreased; now the channel runners have no option but to go off air. We still revel in the memories of those well-executed youth-oriented shows, so here’s a look at some of Channel V’s most memorable offerings: Lola Kutty:

When this saree-clad, bespectacled, gajra-wearing woman arrived on TV, she became an instant hit. Even with her almost-forced and clichéd south Indian accent, Lola Kutty stole the limelight no matter who was sitting opposite her (mainly Bollywood stars). Her sense of humour remains unparalleled. VIVA and AASMA:

When Channel V came up with the Indian version of the international talent hunt show Popstars — Coke V Popstars — it gave us two popular-yet-short-lived youth bands, VIVA and AASMA. Bollywood singers like Anushka Manchanda, Neha Bhasin and Neeti Mohan are finds from these shows! Gumrah: End of Innocence:

Whilst being comparatively newer, Gumrah was one of Channel V’s original shows, backed by Balaji Telefilms, which had a long, successful run. Karan Kundra hosted this show, and it was both relatable and a more subtle crime-fiction series than Saavdhan India. V bai:

This character, modelled on a Maharashtrain domestic help (a stereotypical cliche) stole our hearts with her expressive eyes and the irritable-yet-adorable accent, when she appeared between the shows. Later, the mascot was used in many STAR channels, given the instant connect it had with the Indian youth. Channel V Freedom Express:

When the country’s most loved VJs take you along on their numerous journeys, it can’t get much better, can it? Purab Kohli, Yudi, and Gaurav Kapoor hosted this travel show much before they got into films and found commercial success on other platforms. Dare 2 Date and Get Gorgeous:

These two shows attained popularity by virtue of being scandalous and sensational. This applies to the way these shows were marketed and presented, too. They were Channel V’s answer to MTV’s Roadies and Splitsvilla. Dil Dosti Dance, Hamse Hai Life:

If the whole idea of ‘sawing off the branch one is sitting on’ could be demonstrated in reality, it is Channel V’s decision to introduce a whole plethora of fiction shows primarily aimed at teenagers. Shows like Dil Dosti Dance, Hamse Hai Life, Mastaangi, Suvreen Guggal — Topper of the Year turned out to be the last nails on Channel V’s coffin. We wish the channel stuck to its original music content.