India, June 7 -- There was a time when Indian households functioned according to television timings. Dinner breaks were adjusted, remote controls disappeared, and family members gathered in front of the TV every evening without fail. At the centre of that ritual were women audiences, and the women they watched on screen. Tulsi. Parvati. Prerna. Komolika. These weren't just fictional characters. They became emotions, debates, fashion trends and cultural references across India. And behind them stood one producer who understood mass entertainment like few others: Ekta Kapoor.

Through her production house, Balaji Telefilms, Ekta didn't merely create successful television serials. She created characters that became deeply embedded in India's...