Soaps on Indian television are endless. Even when they’re drawn from literary classics. Based initially on Govardhanram Tripathi's novel, Saraswatichandra was stretched into 444 episodes, produced lavishly by filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Durgesh Nandini was a 157-episode affair – that’s about one episode for each page of the original novel. Even RK Narayan's Malgudi Days ran for 54 episodes in 1987 on Doordarshan.
So it’s a welcome change to see that the new Life OK show, Ek Tha Chandar, Ek Thi Sudha (which premiered on September 21) will wrap up in 20 episodes. It’s based on the famous Hindi novelist Dharmveer Bharti’s Gunahon Ka Devta – recently translated into English as Chander & Sudha.
Done in 20 episodes, just like some of the best American television is, this might usher in a new format to Indian TV. And, who knows, the concept of the second season spinoff may also emerge.
The story follows a research scholar (Chandar) who falls in love with the daughter (Sudha) of his college professor. Their romance turns into a tragic love story when the two lovers make sacrifices for each other. It is this aspect of the novel that has appealed to readers over the years as they followed the path of its star-crossed lovers.
The book was first published in 1949 and is considered a classic of Hindi literature. Apparently it was inspired by the real life story of a research scholar on the campus, which perhaps explains why it resonated so much with young readers. Addressing sexuality, caste and religious bias with a candour not previously seen, it became an instant bestseller.
The serial follows the book, being set in Allahabad, where Chandar and Sudha’s romance blossoms on the Allahabad University campus. Shot on outdoor locations in Varanasi, Baroda and Kashmir, it has been given the treatment of a feature film, moving away from the indoor settings that define Indian television.
The first episode shows promise, avoiding loud background music and jerky edits. The lead pair of Rahil Azzam and Umang Jain are easy on the eye, and Ghalib’s poetry is pleasant to the ear.
Interestingly, Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha were once paired in an unreleased film titled Ek Tha Chandar, Ek Thi Sudha (1972). A song from that film appeared in another film about films, with the name – what else? – Film Hi Film (1983).