Fauji (1989)

Fauji follows a batch of young cadets as they are put through the gruelling training that turns them into commandos of the Indian Army, with the rivalries, friendships, pranks and hard lessons that come with life in uniform. Its most famous face is a young Shah Rukh Khan as the cocky, spirited Lieutenant Abhimanyu Rai: this was his screen debut, a few years before his first film role, and many viewers first noticed him here. Directed by Raj Kumar Kapoor, who drew on real army life, the series became a much-loved part of late-1980s Indian television and is still remembered for its energy and patriotic spirit.