Dear DD, please continue screening Circus, Byomkesh Bakshi and other shows post coronavirus lockdown

For many of us, it was beyond difficult to anticipate that a pandemic would strike in 2020. India has been on lockdown since March 26. In the midst of the lockdown, the Indian government announced that it will start screening classic shows such as Ramayan, Mahabharata, Circus, Byomkesh Bakshi to name a few.

Amid such tension, these shows reminded us of the simpler times in the film industry, when artistes cared more about telling a story, than bother about competing at the box office. 'Now we create a bank, after that lots of interference from various creative departments who probably has no idea about creativity at all.

So you have big production houses, then you have channels, where everybody wants to be the director. So, as a result, there are no directors. Because they don't have any direction. Because there are too many people trying to create the same thing.

It's not one person's vision and if there are so many people it will get hotchpotch and khichdi only," actor Rajit Kapur told International Business Times during an exclusive interaction.

Shah Rukh Khan as Shekhar was a refreshing break for fans

Watching Shah Rukh Khan as Shekhar was a refreshing break for those fans who have mainly seen his recent films such as Zero, Chennai Express, Jab Harry Met Sejal.

Circus was also the cinematic space where fans got a chance to see the performance of Renuka Sahane, who has the potential to be something more than the 'bhabi' from Hum Apke Hain Kaun. At a time when most actors have become crazier about developing a brand for themselves, the television shows on DD reassure us that the film industry wasn't always so commercially driven.

It is 2020 and web-series have developed their own audience, with a new set of actors. But the fun of watching Doordarshan with your family, without headphones on, only reminds us of the time when television was more about bringing all the family members together and watching something family-friendly.

It wouldn't be a completely bad idea if the young generation of cinephiles, familiarise themselves with classic television content. Also, the idea of a family watching Byomkesh Bakshi, Circus, Ramayana, Mahabharata, happens to be more endearing than watching Bigg Boss, or television shows which involves women plotting against each other.