World Television Day: Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai's Rohitashv Gaur calls TV's reach HUGE, says, 'Started from..'

Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain! actor Rohitashv Gour feels that television has always had the power to bring people together. He believes that the charm of those early viewing days remains unforgettable.

On the occasion of World Television Day, which is observed on November 21, he shared his earliest memory of watching TV and said, "When DD1 came, when television first arrived at that time, we were in Kalka. We used to go to our neighbors’ house to watch TV. There was a dharawahik that became such a sensation that the next day, discussions about it happened in every household. People would say, ‘Today the bus driver did this, the grandmother did this, the elder sister did this, the younger sister did this, and now the grandfather will do this; he will do that.’ These kinds of conversations happened throughout our families."

"Watching that serial felt like a ritual. We used to leave home 10 minutes earlier just to go to someone else’s house and grab a seat to watch it. It felt like a magic box from which so many characters were coming out, characters we discussed, stories we related to, and content that felt like it was happening in our own home. I can never forget these television memories," he added.

Asked how television has changed over time, he said that it kept evolving. "It developed very notably. Television has progressed so much technically, content-wise, with costumes, drama, and everything. Earlier during DD1, shots were simple, and people didn’t have much technical knowledge; new subjects were being explored," he said.

"But now, the techniques are modern, and TV is almost shot like a film. After the arrival of OTT, we have reached an entirely different level. One can say TV started from zero, and today it has gone beyond a thousand points," he added.

Even with the surge of digital platforms, Rohitashv believes that TV continues to hold a special place in people’s lives because of its reach. He said, "TV is still special because its reach is huge, still larger than anything else. The women of small towns, cities, and even villages still connect with TV. Our serials are still watched in Kalka, Shimla, small towns, and villages."

TV is almost shot like a film. After the arrival of OTT, we have reached an entirely different level. One can say TV started from zero, and today it has gone beyond a thousand points

- Rohitasv Gaur

"Many people cannot afford or prefer apps; they are used to TV. Some mothers still say, ‘Put on Anupama,’ ‘Put on Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain,’ ‘We have to watch this,’ ‘We have to watch Taarak Mehta.’ People don’t want to change easily. This is the mentality of Indians; they take time to accept new things. Just like when mobile phones came, they hesitated. They would say, ‘Leave it, it’s expensive, we don’t need it.’ In the same way, even with the digital boom, TV remains special. Yes, in big cities things have changed a lot," he added.

And he stressed that daily soaps and reality shows still carry the same emotional weight. He said, "Daily soaps and reality shows still create strong emotional connections. Even today, KBC is still running. Families connect deeply with these shows: ‘See, our sister-in-law is on TV,’ ‘Watch Taarak,’ ‘Watch Anupama,’ ‘Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law has started again,’ ‘Smriti Irani is back.’ The craze is still the same; people copy the sarees and the style."

"TV still reaches every home, your drawing room, your bedroom. Now there are three, four, or even six TVs in many houses. So TV has entered everywhere, and that emotional connection remains strong," Rohitashv ended.