India's First Soap Opera
India's first soap opera was Hum Log, which first aired in 1984 and concluded with 154 episodes, was the longest running serial in the history of Indian television at the time it ended. Every episode of was about 25 minutes long, and the last episode was about 55 minutes. At the end of every episode, veteran Hindi film actor Ashok Kumar would discuss the ongoing story and situations with the audience in a unique style, using Hindi couplets and limericks. In later episodes, after the show had reached the heights of popularity, he would introduce the actors who played characters in the serial and end his monologue with the Indian language versions of the words "Hum Log."
In early 2000, Sony TV bought the tapes from Doordarshan and re-telecasted the 154 episode story in 52 episodes.
It was retelecasted on Doordarshan in 2012 as Hum- Ek Chote Gaon Ki Badi Kahani, to bring back the old nostalgic 1980s days. The cast of included Sadiya Siddiqui, Mona Wasu, Vineet Kumar, Suhasini Mulay, Anjan Srivastva, Himani Shivpuri and Harsh Chhaya.
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