Imlie is an Indian Hindi-language television drama series that premiered on Star Plus in 2020. Produced by 4 Lions Films, the show became one of the most prominent Hindi general entertainment serials of the early 2020s, known for its rural-to-urban storyline centred on a young woman from a tribal village in Pagdandiya, Madhya Pradesh, navigating life in metropolitan Delhi after an unexpected marriage.
| Title | Imlie |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama, romance, family |
| Original language | Hindi |
| Original network | Star Plus |
| Streaming platform | Disney+ Hotstar (later JioHotstar) |
| Production company | 4 Lions Films |
| Producers | Gul Khan, Nilanjana Purkayasstha, Karishma Jain |
| Original premiere | 16 November 2020 |
| Country of origin | India |
| Based on | The Bengali serial Ishti Kutum |
Imlie is a Hindi adaptation of the Bengali television series Ishti Kutum, which originally aired on Star Jalsha. The Hindi version was developed by 4 Lions Films, the production house run by Gul Khan, which has produced several long-running Star Plus serials including Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? and Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.
The series builds its narrative on the contrast between a fictional tribal village called Pagdandiya in rural Madhya Pradesh and the urban household of a Delhi-based family of journalists. Themes include child marriage, gender inequality, education for women, journalism, family conflict, and class divides between rural and urban India.
The original storyline follows Imlie, a spirited young woman from Pagdandiya, who is unwittingly married off in a traditional ritual to Aditya Kumar Tripathi, a journalist visiting from Delhi. Unaware that Aditya is already in a long-term relationship with Malini Chaturvedi, Imlie travels to Delhi seeking him, leading to a love triangle that drives the early seasons of the show. Subsequent narrative arcs introduced generational leaps and new central characters while retaining the title and core themes.
The series is shot primarily in Mumbai, with location work used to depict the village setting of Pagdandiya. The title song and recurring background score have been associated strongly with the show's identity. Costuming for the lead character traditionally features a yellow sari, which became visually iconic and frequently referenced in promotional material.
Imlie attracted significant television viewership during its initial years and was repeatedly listed among the top Hindi general entertainment serials in weekly BARC India ratings. The show was credited with launching Sumbul Touqeer Khan into mainstream television stardom; she later went on to participate in the reality series Bigg Boss 16. The serial also drew attention for taking up themes such as child marriage and women's education in a prime-time soap format.
The series and its cast received nominations and awards at various Hindi television award functions, including the Indian Television Academy Awards and Star Parivaar Awards, recognising performances, storyline, and popularity in different categories.