Songs are an integral part of the Indian culture. They have entertained us through the centuries with their varied classical and folk tones. And they have reigned over the Hindi cinema for all of its 100 years now. Then, beginning millennium we saw a similar trend entering successfully into the television arena as well. Songs & themes are fun, depict the essence of the story-line effortlessly, and has the power to make the viewer feel connected with the characters.

Mostly in the beginning, bollywood songs were incorporated into the story-lines of television daily soaps for significant scenes. In fact, some of those were so powerfully ingrained into the story-line that at times in the viewer's mind the song depicted the TV characters more than the film itself. I still think of Kahiin to Hoga's Sujal and Kashish pairing whenever the bollywood song Thoda sa pyaar hua hai plays anywhere, making it difficult to remember the actual song characters from the film Maine dil tujhko diya. And this is only one of the cases.

Only last year, the populous lead pair Khushi and Arnav from the then favorite daily soap Iss Pyaar ko Kyaa Naam Doon? on Star Plus had danced to the song Teri Meri Prem Kahaani

from the equally successful film Bodyguard, which again reminds me more of the pair than the film every time it plays.

But now something even more noteworthy is slowly taking shape in the industry. Have you heard some of the very recent hummable, worthwhile songs on television? Ek Ishq Boond on Life OK, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon...Ek Baar Phir on Star Plus are among the latest series to be introduced and the songs they have been playing are already a rage.

What is different is that daily soaps are clearly trying to define their own identity by breaking away from the popular trend of copying bollywood songs and instead are working towards making a distinct mark on the viewer's mind by creating their own songs, in accordance with the theme of their story-line.

The fact that finally television is making an attempt to create their own world of entertainment is a step forward for them. Since bollywood songs, though thoroughly enjoyable and very effective, sometimes may seem superficial and forced but if the serials begin to introduce their own themes, it gives them an edge, making them stand apart in the crowd of the many other series.

No wonder the Rabba Ves, Mitwas are becoming so popular among the daily soaps, so that many have a claim on one or the other form of endearment in form of a theme. So cheers to the effort put behind some of the well done songs and themes, and hope Hindi television industry shall continue to move away from the Bollywood effect to build a stronger entity for themselves.