15 years on, Dill Mill Gayye creator admits Armaan-Riddhima had toxic relationship

India Today

23-04-2025

'Dill Mill Gayye' is a collective nostalgia for the millennials. However, even with all its dreaminess and the sheer joy of what we call 'situation-ship' today, the show had its problems. Siddharth P Malhotra, the creator of the popular romantic medical drama, spoke to India Today in an exclusive interview and agreed that the celebrated relationship between Dr Armaan Malik and Dr Ridhima Gupta had its fair share of toxicity.advertisementKnown for making many revered romantic dramas in the early 2000s, especially 'Sanjivani', 'Sara Aakash' and 'Dill Mill Gayye', among others, Malhotra mentioned that the world of TV doesn't operate the same today. While the small screen has got its ups and downs, Malhotra agreed that he would probably change the nuances of Armaan-Ridhima's relationship today and make them look less toxic."You have to remember, 'Dill Mill Gayye' was made at a time when both viewers and creators were still learning and evolving. We never had a full script, it was mostly improvisation with just a basic outline. The angsty version of Armaan resonated deeply with audiences back then. The more pain he went through, the higher the ratings. Even the channel pushed for that because it worked," he said.advertisement
The popular director and producer shared that it also had to do with the fact that they didn't have only one platform to reach out to the audiences. "Back then, we didn't have access to Netflix, Amazon, or OTT platforms. The storytelling landscape has changed drastically. Today, if we were to make 'Dill Mill Gayye', both the storytelling and character dynamics would be completely different. The emotional and social awareness we have now, wasn't present back then," he explained. 'Dill Mill Gayye' or, for that matter, its predecessor, 'Sanjivani', were a breath of fresh air in a time dominated by daily soaps and the larger-than-life saas-bahu sagas. Hindi television doesn't seem to have evolved from those times, it seems.When asked if he's happy with the current state of Hindi television, Malhotra said no. He shared that doing something outside the box, especially for the young audience, was the idea behind launching these medical dramas in the first place.He said, "I miss that era, and I think many creators like me do. Back then, we could tell diverse stories, whether it was about the army, love stories like 'Desh Main Nikla Hoga Chaand' or shows that genuinely connected with people. Now, the focus seems to be only on content for a very specific and limited audience, targeting smaller towns or rural areas, sometimes not even that."advertisementHe went on, "We've gone from variety to monotony. Every show feels like a recycled version of the other: love triangles, dramatic deaths, heroine replacements, and tracks that go nowhere. Characters today aren't written with depth, and that is why the storytelling suffers. So yes, I definitely miss making shows like 'Sanjivani' and 'Dill Mill Gayye', which offered something different."
Karan Singh Grover and Shilpa Anand in a still from 'Dill Mill Gayye' (Photo: TV show still)
But, where is the problem really? When we are all aware of the problem, why is nobody doing anything to solve it? For Siddharth P Malhotra, the key lies in making shows which are relevant to the generation today. He referred to shows from the past made by him and his father, targeting the audience back then, to underscore the importance of progressive content."It feels like television has been reduced to one formula: the suffering woman who fights all odds, with no shades of grey. Everything is black or white. Good writing and layered characters have become rare. While you may find one well-written show among hundreds, most follow a set pattern, and that's why they fail," he said.advertisementMalhotra continued, "I think my father's era, when he made 'Katha Sagar', 'Gul Gulshan Gulfaam', and 'Junoon', and my early years with 'Sanjivani', 'Dill Mill Gayye', 'Ek Hazaron Mein Meri Behna Hai', and 'Ek Hasina Thi', were far better. The stories were fresh and meaningful. But today, it's the same old stuff on repeat. Personally, I've taken a step back because the saas-bahu dramas with endless insults aren't something I can relate to or create any more."Does this mean we can have round two of 'Dill Mill Gayye' on the screen? Doesn't Hindi TV deserve that kind of transformation yet again? Malhotra said no. For him, the show is too sacred to renovate or to even repackage.When asked about the possibility of 'Dill Mill Gayyee 2', the creator said, "Honestly, I don't think 'Dill Mill Gayye 2' can or should be made. Some shows are magical because of the time, the people, and the energy behind them. We were young, passionate, and hungry to create something special. Everyone, from the actors to the writers, was invested."advertisementHe went on. "Today, I don't see that same hunger. Many just want to finish the job and head home. When we made 'Dill Mill Gayye', we were told it might go off-air within a month, even before it aired. That pressure pushed us to give it everything we had, and it ended up running for two years. I even tried rebooting 'Sanjivani' with season 2, but due to the TRP pressures, we had to compromise, and I ended up ruining a show I loved. I don't want to repeat that mistake. Some shows should be left untouched."
Photo: Siddharth P Malhotra
Malhotra, who also directed Rani Mukerji's 'Hichki' and Junaid Khan's 'Maharaj', is hopeful of TV's better future, though. His idea is to back content solely on the basis of merit, because that is the only solution to the redundancy being served to the viewers on TV today."I can't do something just because it's in demand, like the usual saas-bahu drama. It has to mean something. Even today, there are stories I believe in, but not everyone wants to buy them. Still, I stand by them because I work with conviction. I don't take up projects under pressure or compulsion. If it doesn't speak to me, I won't do it (sic)," he concluded.Must Watch