The fact that the plot of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ is problematic in more ways than one has become a common topic of debate in recent times. But it’s just people on social media who talk about it. To even think that a film or a television show, that’s being watched by millions, will try to diss a very popular film is unthinkable in today’s age.
But back in the 90s, the much-loved Hindi TV show Hip Hip Hurray did what is unthinkable today – they called out ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ for being problematic and promoting gender stereotypes.
In a video that’s being widely shared on social media, we hear the characters in Hip Hip Hurray talk about how Anjali becomes attractive only after dressing up in a stereotypically feminine way. She doesn’t get the guy when she dresses up and behaves like a tomboy. It’s also pointed out in the scene how tomboy-Anjali wins all basketball matches, but a saree-clas Anjali loses them. Did you notice this before?
Have a look at the video here:
Hip hip hurray was so ahead of its time..#90skid pic.twitter.com/9M1SAlyDj4
— 90skid (@memorable_90s) March 28, 2023
This scene got several people on Twitter talking. While some lauded the show for being progressive and ahead of its time, others claimed that TV shows back in the 90s walked with the times and discussed relevant social issues. It was with the coming of saas-bahu serials that television entertainment went a thousand steps backwards and is still trying to recover from it.
The TV shows of the 80s and 90s were actually very much in sync with the times – it's the later shows that were mostly terrible with their saas-bahu themes and other misogynistic + regressive crap. https://t.co/otrmfGd7Pe
— Atul Karmarkar (@atulkarmarkar) March 30, 2023
The fall of Indian TV serials from progressive and modern to regressive in the name of "values" was started by Ekta Kapoor.
Surprisingly, after destroying the TV serial industry she went on to start her own OTT which showcases next level अश्लीलता in the name of progress https://t.co/VQ7ecmS2Lp
— Saumya (@5SaumyaS) March 30, 2023
Hum sabka childhood 😀… But just imagine, these kids made so much sense back then, and till today, we continue to see such stereotypical roles being written for women. While I love #KuchKuchHotaHai, this problem with the film is something even a fan can't ignore. #HipHipHurray https://t.co/QiQZeGIdJT
— Monika Rawal (@monikarawal) March 30, 2023
Television was beautiful before Balaji Telefilms totally destroyed it https://t.co/A4A2tZeQKf
— Sagnik Dey (@snkdey) March 30, 2023
No wonder Ekta Kapoor is hated upon so much.
Changed the entire TV shows scenario for worse.
Audiences who lapped up those regressive shows are to be equally blamed.
This 1 minute video is way better than other stereotypical shows which one is offered today.👏 https://t.co/LtRrN8jjKE— JAY ✨ (@Broken__Bad__) March 30, 2023
This was such a craze growing up ❤️
It was actually not ahead of its time… unfortunately later in early 2000s ekta kapoor ruined everything through her regressive af sas-bahu serials and that still continues… https://t.co/rLScK3egsK— Shilpi ✨🧚♀️ (@drizzle_n_skift) March 29, 2023
It was exactly in with the times.
We have now moved backward. This was exactly how we spoke in school and college https://t.co/ue5A2ndOyW— Priyashmita (@priyashmita) March 29, 2023
I don't think Hip Hip Hooray was ahead of its time. When it aired, it very much felt like in keeping with the times.
It's 2020s India being so behind its time that makes 90s Indian TV seem so ahead of its time.
In the 90s, it was just TV.https://t.co/3obumBXrQ3
— Gaurav Sabnis (@gauravsabnis) March 29, 2023
This is why 90s TV shows will always be the best. You can watch them even today and they’ll still be relevant.