Buniyaad (transl. Foundation) is an Indian television soap opera directed by Ramesh Sippy and Jyoti Sarup. The series was written by Manohar Shyam Joshi and dealt with the Partition of India in 1947 and its aftermath. It was first aired in 1986 on the Indian state television channel DD National. It was re-aired on Sahara One in 2006 and on DD National and DD Retro during COVID-19 lockdown in India. The story spans the life in India between 1915 and 1985.
Contents
Plot
Buniyaad is an Indian television drama that follows the lives of Master Haveliram Khanna, a principled schoolteacher in Lahore, and his wife Lajwanti (Lajjo), against the backdrop of the Partition of India in 1947. Beginning in pre-Partition Lahore, the series explores the relationships within the extended Khanna family before chronicling their forced migration to Delhi as refugees. As they rebuild their lives, the story examines the emotional, social, and economic consequences of displacement across several decades. Through the experiences of different generations of the Khanna family, Buniyaad portrays themes of loss, resilience, identity, changing family values, and the lasting legacy of Partition. Widely regarded as one of Indian television’s landmark historical dramas, the series combines personal stories with the broader history of one of the largest migrations in modern history.
Reception
Madhu Jain of India Today wrote, "Tuesday and Saturday nights are curfew time in Lahore: the streets of the city are empty as people rush home to see their favourite Buniyaad. Back home in India too, the TV series is rapidly moving up the popularity charts, and now ranks second among all TV serials, behind Nukkad."