Born in 1978

The Janata Party government was proving chaotic — too many factions, too little agreement. People who had voted for it with such hope were growing disillusioned. Amitabh Bachchan's Don was a huge hit — the image of him as a suave, dangerous criminal felt like a commentary on something.

Doordarshan was slowly expanding its reach, and for the first time, Indians in more towns could watch television. The medium would transform politics and culture beyond recognition in the years ahead.