MUMBAI: There was a time when the entire family used to sit in front of the TV set for their daily dose of entertainment in the form of TV soaps. Like clockwork, a show would come on during its affixed time slot and the theme music would play, alerting those who’re not yet glued to the idiot box to tune in. Viewers, both casual and hardcore, still remember the romantic, bittersweet opening theme and the accompanying visuals of a bright red dupatta flying in the wind when they think of Kasauti Zindagi Kay; or the members of a large Gujarati joint family popping in and out during the folksy Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi title track. These songs, while being emblematic of the show, were also versatile; a change in musical arrangement or a minor tweak in the lyrics could make them joyous, nostalgic or mournful – as the scene demanded. They were woven through the very fabric of the story, so much so that while audiences may not recall much of the endless plot twists and turns in the show, their theme music has endured in the collective cultural memory.
Probably that’s the reason why producers and broadcasters have been leveraging music and background scores to make their programmes more appealing. They have given us some iconic songs, filling a big part of our childhood memories. After all, who doesn't remember Kumkum’s ‘Jeevan Kar Leta Hai Shringar’; the iconic Remix song which can still set our feet tapping; or make us exclaim ‘Jassi jaissi? Koi nahi!’ even after all these years.
“Music is the lubricant that allows hard-sell messaging to slip smoothly into public consciousness. It persuades, coaxes, cajoles and slips into you what it would otherwise have to say upfront,” says, dentsu creative chairman India & Taproot Dentsu co-founder & chief creative officer Agnello Dias.
Love for music is an age-old phenomenon, especially given our Bollywood roots. Music had always played a big role whether it is on television, in films or in any other genre. India has a rich heritage of music gharanas. So ingrained was this in our cultural DNA that TV serials used to allocate budget to shoot opening credits and even updated them to show the passage of time in the characters’ lives. However, as time passes, the relevance of title tracks seems to be on the wane.
Jingles India co-founder, CEO & chief of production and execution Amit Vishnoi said, “Every decade has a unique style of putting up music into shows for promotions. Earlier music made an influence through TV serials, even now shows have title tracks but somewhere the connection is missing. Because the trend of music has now changed. Moreover, rap music or short promos are now more in trend. During Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kasauti Zindagi Kay or Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, social media was not that powerful as it is today. After cinema, there were very few TV shows like Buniyaad and Hum Log but later during 1990s and 2000s a new trend was set to incorporate music to increase the viewership.”
According to him, the trend has now changed, most of the programmes have title tracks but the theme is missing. The attention span of viewers has declined, there is a clear shift from television to OTT platforms. In the age of the “skip intro” button, fewer people are inclined to stand on ceremony, so to speak, and are not paying heed to music in daily soaps. He further added, “Music and background scores are still there in originals, it is just the medium of content consumption has changed now.”
At the same time, the opening track of Netflix’s original series Sacred Games and the theme of SonyLIV's Scam 1992 have scored points with critics and viewers alike. There might be hope for title sequences yet.
Relevant or not, the makers are still trying their hand at creating songs that resonate well with their shows and also connects with the viewers. If you are missing those amazing soundtracks of the past, let’s take a walk down the memory lane of TV serial opening themes that we are still in love with.
Dekh Bhai Dekh
Udit Narayan's voice in this track made us fall for this comedy slice of life show a little more. And we were already very much into it.
Malgudi Days
How can we not include Malgudi Days, our childhood would not be the same without this inherently nostalgic tune.
Remix
The famous gang of Tia, Ranveer, Anvesha and Yuvi formed the band Remix in the show and gave us some amazing numbers. The original soundtrack was created by Asma and we still can't help but hum the song along even to this day.
Left Right Left
Who doesn’t remember this peppy track composed by Vishal-Shekhar? Country, duty, coming of age and more was encapsulated in this minute-long track, which was every ‘90s kid’s favourite.
Dill Mill Gayye
Hum toh chale the dost banke, jaane kahan dill mill gayye! The title track was sung by none other than Sonu Nigam, along with Indian Idol contestant Prajakta Shukre.
Pavitra Rishta
Sushant Singh Rajput’s debut show Pavitra Rishta had quite a soulful title track ruminating on the vagaries of love, and is still adored by fans of the late actor.
Kasam Se
Balaji Telefilms have given us some of the most iconic tracks and Kasam Se was no different. The sound track still strikes a chord with many.
Shagun
Star Plus was the trendsetter when it came to bringing melodious opening themes. The drama serial Shagun, which was quite successful in the afternoon slot, used shehnais in its title song to underline the theme of wedding ceremonies.
Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai
This was the first show to portray a rock star on Indian television. The title track sung by Kunal Ganjawala has left an indelible mark on our hearts.
Bade Achche Lagte Hain
Though the theme was the remake of a classic film song, this version sung by none other than Shreya Ghoshal was equally magical and perfectly suited the theme of the show.
