Buniyaad is believed to be the biggest blockbuster in the Indian Television Industry. This popular soap gripped the nation in the mid-eighties with a fervor that was unknown in the industry before. The true-to-life depiction of the life struggle of two Punjabi families ravaged by communal riots and erupted the whole nation in the post-independence period was done in a stark manner.
The most striking feature of this historical family was its poignant performances by the very popular actors of the small screen. The whole plot was based on the life of men and women who struggled to live and love in an era of aggression and annihilation. The story was of Master Haveliram who was a patriotic and a very principled man and chose teaching as his way of constructing an ideal society of dreams.
Out of them one student named Lajjo stands apart and Haveliram finds himself drawn towards his earthly charm. Their friendship blossomed into a blissful marriage and after a score of years they find their children grow up in a loving home. But suddenly by the twist of the cruel fate communal riots take place and the whole family is forced to flee back to Hindustan empty-handed.
It was on the earliest television soaps, which had lavish sets and awe-inspiring drama. The serial was directed by the blockbuster `Sholay` famed director Ramesh sippy. The scriptwriter Manohar Shyam Joshi won instant fame and recognition by such a brilliant screenplay. The starcast of the soap consisted of some brilliant actors and actresses who have carved out a niche for them in the following years. Some of them include Abhinav Chaturvedi, Alok Nath, Anjana Mumtaz, Anita Kanwar, Dalip Tahil, Kiran Juneja, Kruttika Desai, and Kanwaljit Singh.
The timeless classic is believed to be shown again on television. It was not only the highest rated program but also went onto become a milestone in the history of Indian television. Both the serial and its character are still remembered by millions of viewers with nostalgia. The actress-turned producer Deepti Bhatnagar bought the rights of the serial from its director and started beaming it on Sahara One for sometime but then again the show went off the air. Deepti remarked that she had also brought some cosmetic changes and also replaced Anup Jalota with Sonu Nigam to sing the theme song. She did not have any intention of changing the dialogue and style because that would have marred the development of the story towards its logical end.
The popularity of the show was unrivalled by any other show of the contemporary era. With the popularity of the soap Ramesh Sippy and Ramanand Sagar brought a bit of Bollywood on to the small screen. The powerful script had a wide appeal and the touching and sensitive description of the poignant shots left an indelible mark in the memories of the older generation. Such a soap is no longer made in the Indian Television Industry and has been replaced by either `saans-bahu` flicks or `polygamy-business` or `vampish acts`. The viewers of Buniyaad hopes to see some similar work in the near future.