The Indian society as is common knowledge is largely male dominated. Apart from a few urban pockets, rural India still goes by what the man in the family says. Television shows are supposed to depict what goes on in our society, and it has been doing so too. However, delve a bit deeper and you will find a very interesting pattern. Indian television has produced more famous mothers and mothers-in-law than fathers or fathers-in-law. A Tulsi Virani or Parvati Agarwal is far more famous than the fathers-in-law they had. Ditto for a
Baa or the ubiquitous
Dadi in any serial. She has far more impact than the
Dadajis in Indian television.
WikiNewForum.com makes an attempt to give the ’father figures’ of Indian television their due. You have read many articles on the top five daughters-in-law or mothers-in-law. But this is perhaps the first to attempt at selecting the top five fathers on Indian television!
Master Haveliram, Buniyaad: One of the most powerful characters portrayed on Indian television till date, Master Haveliram was a man who wanted to live life safely and happily. However, his political interests and the 1947 partition changed it all. He got lost in the riots and his family was separated from him and started living in a refugee camp. Needless to say, he returned and had a happy reunion with his family. Portrayed by Aloknath, this character became such an iconic one that even today two decades down the line people remember him. Alok Nath This was also the first time India witnessed mass hysteria over a television serial character. When Haveliram went missing everyone in the country cried and waited with bated breath for him to return home. When he did, needless to say, there were more tears. This time those of joy.