Ek Tha Rusty is a Doordarshan show based on the stories of writer Ruskin Bond, broadcast in 1995 (season 1), 2012-2013 (season 2) and 2014-2015 (season 3). [1]
Produced and directed by Shubhadarshini Singh, the show stars Zarul, Nadira, Pankaj Berry, Raj Zutshi, Ayub Khan, Vipul Gupta, Bhanu Uday, and Suhasini Mulay. [1] In seasons 2 and 3, Gupta and Uday respectively played the role of grown up Rusty. [1]
Ruskin Bond, the author of Rusty and other short stories for children, presented seasons 2 and 3 of the show and appeared in the beginning and end of each episode. The series is semi-autobiographical, as many of the stories adapted are incidents and experiences from Bond's life. [2] [3]
Season 1 (aired in 1995) is about a ten-year-old boy Rusty, his life at a boarding school and his friends and family in Dehradun. This season is set in 1930s, when India was under British rule.
Season 2 shows the time when Rusty is about 30 years of age and a struggling writer. It is set in 1960s, when Rusty has returned from England, to live in Mulberry Cottage, Mussoorie. Season 2 had Vipul Gupta playing a 30 year old Rusty. It included ten of Bond's stories - Love is a sad song, Sensualist, Dead Man's Gift, Last Time I saw Delhi, Hanging at Mango, Who Killed the Rani?, Binya Passes By, From Small Beginnings and At Greens Hotel, [4] along with his novel Maharani. [5] It was shot in Mussoorie and Dehradun. [1]
Season 3 had Bhanu Uday playing a 35 year old Rusty. It includes Bond’s stories - Time Stops at Shamli and Shooting at Mango Top. [6] The show was shot in Mussoorie. [6] Bond’s granddaughter (from his adopted family in Mussoorie) Shristi, also acted in the show. [7] [8]
Set in 1960s, Seasons 2 and 3 of the show were shot in the beautiful woods and snowy hills, where alongside interesting stories, some of beautiful tracks are also featured; including "Hawaon ki dhun and Zindagi keraye ka ghar hai".