Lifeline is a Hindi TV serial which used to air on Doordarshan DD National in late 80s. It has aired over a hundred episodes. Each episode has a runtime of thirty minutes. In the 80’s, there weren't many TV shows around for people to watch. There weren't many TV channels to choose from. For long Doordarshan had the monopoly over the television industry. This is the reason why shows like Lifeline gained popularity and is still remembered by the audience.
It is an emotional drama which focuses on the relationships between a doctor and a patient. There are many situations where the life of a man rests in the hand of a doctor. How does the doctor react to such a circumstance? He also has to handle the grieving family. There are so many hopes of people who he doesn't know, resting on his shoulders and all of them want the same thing. If the patient in under anesthesia, then it is easier for the doctor to do his work.
But if the patient is conscious, then he has to take care of his mental health. He needs to speak carefully as every word he speaks will have great repercussions. What happens if the patient is an enemy of the doctor? Does he treat him or let him die? These are all moral dilemmas that these people face on an everyday basis. If the patient is a loved one, how does he react? He can't do his work properly without thinking about what is happening in the operation theater. The focuses on such hardships faced by the doctor and makes us aware of such things. It is an emotional drama which will make you cry, sometimes because of the happy ending or because of the sad ending.
The stories are told by real life physicians. When it used to air, it used to get wonderful reviews and everyone would recommend you to watch it. There are funny moments too in the show which keeps it entertaining. Lifeline is considered to one of the top Hindi shows of the twentieth century. The show also focuses on the trauma the family of the patient has to undergo. During a medical crisis, everybody’s normal life is disrupted. This is shown beautifully over the course of half an hour.