This show remains embedded in our childhood memories as one of those beautiful, nostalgic talk shows that always managed to make us feel too much. Hosted by Farooq Shaikh and then later by Suresh Oberoi, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai interviewed actors, their families and those who had been an integral part of their success.
Here are our top 20 episodes from the show:
15. Moushumi Chatterjee
The actor spoke about joining the industry at 13, running away from shoots as a teenager and convincing her father that she wanted to act. This veteran actor’s episode gives a refreshing perspective towards the industry.
14. Kader Khan
From being born in one of Mumbai’s most dangerous slums to finding his way into a successful acting career, Kader Khan’s journey is truly commendable.
13. Shekhar Kapur
The CA turned actor and director spoke of how he learned to direct by acting in any film that came his way. He also recalled how he got into photography, by getting jealous of an ex-girlfriend.
12. Kirron Kher
The actor and her parents spoke about being an overachieving family that constantly strived for perfection and how it played a significant role in building her career.
16. Manoj Bajpai
The actor spoke at length about how it seemed almost impossible in his village to even dream of things he has achieved. His fairytale story always brings tears to our eyes.
15. Prem Chopra
The veteran actor’s episode featured some of Bollywood’s most sought after names, including Jeetendra, who had some interesting things to say about him.
14. Pankaj Kapoor
The episode divulged into the actor’s legacy, his national awards and everything he wants to tell Shahid, who was an upcoming actor at that point.
13. Naseeruddin Shah
This episode shed light on a completely different side of the actor. Seeing him with family, his sons and being a fun father made us love him more.
12. Milind Soman
A supermodel at that time, Milind spoke about accidentally getting into modelling after leaving swimming at a national level. He also spoke about his first love and charging more than Rahul Roy at his first modelling campaign.
11. Karan Johar
The actor, producer and director spoke of the turning point in his life – when he ran away from a boarding school after just spending two days there.
10. Govinda
This light-hearted episode focused on the actor’s struggle, his success and even had one of his closest friends, Chunky Pandey talk about the actor.
9. Akshay Kumar
This episode gave us a sneak-peek into the childhood and teen years of this actor. The show even had his childhood friends talk about how he behaved during his school years.
8. Jagjit Singh
This episode featuring the late iconic gazal singer will surely leave you in tears, especially the bit where Gulzar speaks about him and praises him.
7. Sunil Dutt
This episode had both the greats of the generation – Sunil Dutt and Dilip Kumar in the same frame as they spoke of their journey together.
6. Arshad Warsi
A true jack-of-all-trades, this actor’s experiments with sales, photography, dance and acting truly reflect his zest for life.
5. Rani Mukerji
The actor begins the episode by talking about her first screen-test, which her mother rejected and advised her not to be a part of the project. Everything that follows will have you in awe of the actor’s journey.
4. Farhan Akhtar
The actor and his family, including his sister, Zoya Akhtar talk about his obsession with acting as a child and his unique connection with music.
3. Preity Zinta
This episode dove deep into the actor’s adorable personality and her easy-going nature that just spells mischief.
2. Shah Rukh Khan
This heartwarming episode had all of SRK’s childhood friends, closest actors and those who have been a part of his journey talk about their personal experiences with the actor.
1. Sushmita Sen
From talking about how she met Renee for the first time to discussing the difficulties she faced while fighting for her adoption, this episode was an ode to Sushmita’s journey into motherhood.
Which episode is your favourite?