''Alpviram'' (translation: Comma, half pause) is a drama television series that aired on

Sony Entertainment Television Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is an Indian Hindi-language general entertainment pay television channel, that was launched on 30 September 1995, and is owned by Culver Max Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony. SET India's Y ...

in India in 1998. Produced by Shobhana Desai, the show was directed by veteran director

Vipul Shah Vipul Amrutlal Shah (commonly known as Vipul Shah) is a film producer and director of Hindi films. He began his career with Gujarati theater. He was part/director of a number of Gujarati dramas, some of which were well received by Gujarati audie ...

and starred

Pallavi Joshi Pallavi Joshi (born 4 April 1969) is an Indian actress, writer, and film producer who works primarily in Hindi films and television. In a career spanning across films and television, Joshi is the recipient of such accolades as two National Fil ...

and Amir Bashir.

Plot summary

The show, set in the city of

Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...

, revolves around the story of Amrita, a 21-year old vivacious girl who lives with her loving grandparents and has been dating Rohit Bakshi, a young boy from the well to do Bakshi family. On her 21st birthday, Amrita and Rohit's families plan a surprise outing for her where Rohit and Amrita get formally engaged to each other. But moments later, Amrita becomes unconscious and is rushed to the hospital where she is pronounced to be in a coma. Dr. Gupta explains that Amrita has brain aneurysms and would remain in a coma for an unspecified period of time. Rohit and Amrita's grandparents are shattered but start taking care of Amrita till one day they realise she is pregnant and has been raped by someone at the hospital. Already reeling from financial troubles after spending their savings on her treatment, her grandparents decide to fight for justice against the hospital and its adamant administrator, Mr. Munshi, till they can find the culprit. A police investigation ensues in which everyone at the hospital is a suspect including, briefly, even Rohit. Meanwhile, the resulting scandal forces Rohit's family to ask him to choose between them and Amrita as he decides to stand by her. Over time, as Amrita remains in a coma, Rohit eventually becomes engaged to another girl. Finally, when Amrita awakens from the coma, she must face her changed circumstances and make some tough decisions about her pregnancy, her relationship with Rohit, and her feelings towards her rapist as she attempts to comprehend her situation.

Cast

as Amrita Bajaj *

Aamir Bashir Aamir Bashir is a Kashmiri actor, film producer, and director. Early life and education Bashir was born and raised in Kashmir, the son of the retired Chief Justice of Jammu High Court. He is a graduate of St. Stephen's College, University o ...

as Rohit Bakshi *

Smita Bansal Smita Bansal (born 21 February 1977) is an Indian television and Bollywood film actress. Her notable roles include the Zee TV's '' Amanat'', '' Aashirwad,'' '' Sarhadein'' and Sony SAB's '' Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga''. She has also acted ...

as Shweta Bhatnagar, a Journalist *

Anjan Srivastav Aanjjan Srivastav (born 2 June 1948) is an Indian film, television and stage actor, associated with Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) in Mumbai of which he remained Vice-President for several years. Outside theatre, he is best known as ...

as Mr. Bajaj Amrita's grandfather *

Sulabha Deshpande Sulabha Deshpande ( mr, सुलभा देशपांडे; 1937 – 4 June 2016) was an Indian actress and theatre director. Apart from Marathi theatre and Hindi theatre in Mumbai, she acted in over 73 mainstream Bollywood films. She a ...

as Subhadra Bajaj, Amrita's grandmother *

Vikram Gokhale Vikram Gokhale (14 November 1945 – 26 November 2022) was an Indian film, television and stage actor, noted for his roles in Marathi theatre, Hindi films and television. He was the son of the Veteran Marathi theater and film actor, Chandraka ...

as Mr. Munshi, Hospital Administrator *

Rajendra Gupta Rajendra Gupta (born 17 October 1947) is an Indian film, television and theatre actor and director who is known for his television roles of Adina Beg Khan Sahib e Azam in 2010 series of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Pandit Jagannath in the 1990s Doorda ...

as Dr. Pradeep Gupta, Amrita's doctor *

Mohan Gokhale Mohan Gokhale (7 November 1953 – 29 April 1999) was an Indian film, television and theater actor who has worked in art films such as '' Sparsh'', '' Bhavni Bhavai'' and '' Mirch Masala''. His father was a senior journalist and Editor of the w ...

as Raju, a ward boy at the Hospital *

Arun Bali Arun Bali (23 December 1942 – 7 October 2022) was an Indian actor who has worked in numerous films and television series. He played the part of King Porus in the 1991 period drama ''Chanakya'', Kunwar Singh in the Doordarshan soap opera ''S ...

as Dr. Mathur, Dean of the Hospital *

Parikshit Sahni Parikshit Sahni (born 1 January 1944) is an Indian actor who is known for playing the lead in TV series Barrister Vinod, '' Gul Gulshan Gulfaam'' (Doordarshan) and ''Gaatha'' (Star Plus). He has also appeared in three of Rajkumar Hirani's bloc ...

as Mr. Bakshi, Rohit's father * Lalan Sarang as Mrs. Bakshi, Rohit's mother * Rasik Dave as Amit Bakshi, Rohit's elder brother *

Apara Mehta Apara Mehta Jariwala (Mostly Known By Her Maiden Name Apara Mehta) is an Indian television and Bollywood actress known for her supporting roles like ''Savita Mansukh Virani'' in the iconic show ''Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi''. Now currentl ...

as Sunita Amit Bakshi, Amit's wife * Sejal Shah as Madhavi Bakshi, Amit and Rohit's sister

Reception

The show received positive reviews and years later is still considered to be a show that was ahead of its times in addressing issues of hospital malpractice, experiences of a rape survivor and Indian society's attitude towards women. It has been praised for the maturity with which it portrayed a rape survivor and her struggle.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=6673402 1998 Indian television series debuts 1999 Indian television series endings Sony Entertainment Television original programming Indian drama television series