''Zindagi'' means life, and the show was based on real-life stories of people who had suffered because of taboos, or experienced tragedies and overcome them. The show was centered on the protagonists and their families and friends. It included activists, experts, and sometimes Bollywood celebrities. It presented background reports on the issue and on-location shooting of the protagonists at their homes. Not only the experts, but also the spectators in the studio were invited to share their thoughts. To keep the show light, Bollywood and Indian folk songs were sometimes played in the background.
In its very first year, ''Zindagi Live'' won the Best Talk Show award given by Indiantelevision.com, and it continued to win many awards in the years that followed. Eventually, other shows with similar concepts were created, such as ''Satyamev Jayate,'' hosted by Bollywood star Amir Khan. The success of the shows was based on their mix of reality TV, songs and popular celebrity guests who kept the audience engaged.
Due to education and the internet, people are slowly but surely accepting the changes. In 2007, we would never have been able to make a show about a live-in relationship where couples live together without getting married, because it was a taboo. Young people working in Delhi and Mumbai were reluctant to speak as their hometowns were small cities. However, today it is much easier to make such a show.
The viewership was average in the beginning, and it gained momentum when we addressed different conflicts. We received emails from people who told us how they dealt with issues like domestic violence just by watching my show. They liked the idea of increasing awareness about the issue without stirring up hatred. ''Zindagi Live'' became the flagship program of the channel IBN-7.
Richa Anirudh is best known for hosting the TV show ''Zindagi Live,'' broadcast first on IBN-7, then on News18 India. Today, she is the producer and anchor of the YouTube show ''Zindagi with Richa'' which follows the same concept. And she presents a show called ''Big Heroes'' where she interviews unsung heroes of the society. Richa has received various prestigious prizes and awards for her work.
BIMI's newest policy brief, "Zindagi: Lives of the Afghan Community in the Bay Area", by Nilufar Kayhani provides a close look into the history of Afghanistan, the migration history of Aghan people in the U.S., and the rich cultural influence they have had in the Bay Area. This policy brief characterizes Afghan people for their resilience and culture - Afghans have resettled globally and have continued their lives - beyond the tragedies they have endured.
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