Angad Hasija on TV's evolution: 'Storytelling has become more diverse'
Synopsis
Angad Hasija, who rose to fame as Alekh in 'Bidaai' back in 2007, says Indian television has genuinely improved — sharper direction, more diverse stories, and real competition from web formats. But he's candid about what's been lost: the slow, immersive world of shows that ran for four or five years without blinking.
Key Takeaways
Angad Hasija has been part of Indian television for nearly two decades, debuting in 'Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai' in 2007 .
He says channels today are more research-driven and deliver greater variety of content compared to earlier years.
Hasija misses the era of long-running shows that stayed on air for four to five years — a format largely displaced by web series and vertical content.
He praised modern directors for being more precise about shot selection and storytelling vision.
Hasija is currently playing Yash Vardhan in the ongoing show 'Tumm Se Tumm Tak' .
Actor Angad Hasija, a familiar face on Indian television for nearly two decades, has opened up about how the medium has transformed — from the era of long-running family dramas to today's multi-platform content landscape. Speaking in an exclusive interview, the Mumbai-based actor said the shift has been both striking and largely positive.
A Changed Television Landscape
Hasija, best known for his role as Alekh in the long-running show 'Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai' (which premiered in 2007), drew a clear line between the television of his early career and what the industry looks like today. According to him, channels have become far more research-driven and audience-aware in how they develop stories.
'It has been a long time, and things have changed considerably. There was a time when television was very different from what it is today. Channels now research what is happening around them and accordingly deliver stories to the audience. There is a clear difference between then and now. Earlier, there used to be a typical kind of drama. Now television is also trying to show something different,' Hasija said.
What He Misses — and What He Welcomes
While Hasija is broadly appreciative of how the industry has grown, he does feel a tinge of nostalgia for the era of shows that stayed on air for four or five years at a stretch — a rarity in today's fragmented content market. He noted that shorter run times are now the norm, driven by stiffer competition from web series and vertical content formats.
'What I miss is that earlier, there used to be very long-running shows. Shows would run for four or five years. Now they do not run for that long. However, there is a lot more variety today. Earlier, there was not as much competition. Now there are vertical shows and web series, so there is a difference. But you get to see a lot of variety,' he said.
Better Direction, More Options
Hasija also pointed to a marked improvement in production quality and directorial vision. He noted that today's directors arrive on set with a sharper sense of what they want — both in terms of shot composition and narrative execution — a contrast to the more loosely structured shoots of earlier years.
'Today's directors are very clear about what shots they want and how they want to shoot them. If you look at it from that perspective, television has improved a lot,' he added.
Where Hasija Stands Today
After playing Jimmy Dhillon (JD) in 'Tera Rang Chadeya', Hasija is currently seen on screen as Yash Vardhan in the ongoing show 'Tumm Se Tumm Tak'. His career arc — spanning multiple lead roles across different formats — mirrors the very evolution he describes: from the slow-burn family sagas of the late 2000s to the faster, more competitive television of the mid-2020s.
As Indian television continues to compete with OTT platforms for eyeballs, voices like Hasija's offer a grounded, insider view of what has been gained — and what has quietly slipped away — in the industry's rapid reinvention.
Point of View
Where no single show can hold an audience for five years the way 'Bidaai' once did. What gets lost in that churn is not just runtime but character depth and viewer attachment. The industry's gain in variety has come at the cost of the slow-burn storytelling that once made television a shared national ritual.
NationPress
17 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Angad Hasija?
Angad Hasija is an Indian television actor best known for playing Alekh in 'Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai,' which premiered in 2007. He has since appeared in multiple shows and is currently seen as Yash Vardhan in 'Tumm Se Tumm Tak.'
What does Angad Hasija say has changed in Indian television?
Hasija says channels are now more research-driven and deliver greater content variety compared to earlier years, when a 'typical kind of drama' dominated screens. He also notes that today's directors are sharper and more precise in their vision.
What does Angad Hasija miss about earlier television?
He misses the era of long-running shows that stayed on air for four to five years — a format that has largely been replaced by shorter-run series and web content due to increased competition.
What show is Angad Hasija currently appearing in?
Angad Hasija is currently playing the character Yash Vardhan in the television show 'Tumm Se Tumm Tak.'
How has competition changed Indian television according to Hasija?
Hasija says the rise of web series and vertical content formats has significantly increased competition, leading to more variety for viewers but shorter runs for individual shows compared to the earlier era.
