Indian television seems to be in its worst phase with the influx of saas-bahu sagas and unrealistic stories revolving around rebirths and Naagins. But there was a time (the ’90s, to be precise) when TV shows were bold, progressive, realistic and were way ahead of their times.

And with Doordarshan’s recent plans to bring back iconic TV shows from it archives, we’re definitely rooting for other channels to follow suit and bring back these ’90s gems. Take a look.

Kora Kaagaz

This show which was conceived by Aasha Parekh tackled a bold subject where a woman, who belongs to a conservative family, refuses to reunite with her husband who abandoned her on their wedding night. Starring Renuka Shahane and cricketer turned actor Salil Ankola, this show depicted a love affair between Shahane’s character and her brother-in-law.

Saans

This unforgettable show was way ahead of its times and was a poignant story of an accidental love triangle. Starring Neena Gupta and Kanwaljit Singh, the show was appreciated by audiences and critics alike, turning it into one of the most loved shows on Indian television during the ’90s. The show was also embroiled in a controversy where Neena was accused of endorsing adultery to which her reply was, “I’m just mirroring society. What happens to Priya… can happen to any of us”.

Shanti

Starring Mandira Bedi as a young journalist, this drama series acquired a cult following and was about love, betrayal and treachery where Bedi’s strong and bold character was well loved by audiences.

Hasratein

This poignant story about extra marital relationships was conceived and narrated with a great level of maturity. Based on the Marathi novel Adhantari, Hasratein bravely depicted a married working woman (Savi) who leaves her husband and gets into a relationship with her married boss. Starring Shefali and Harsh Chhaya, Hasratein’s powerful performances won the hearts of its audiences and the show looked at the subject through the point of view of a woman, making it one of the most progressive shows in the history of Indian television.

Tara

Tara was known as the first ever Indian soap on contemporary Indian women and was an honest depiction of ambition, love, friendships and the trials and tribulations of the protagonist. Also, the protagonist Navneet Nishan’s pixie hairdo was an instant hit with audiences.