In a tragic turn of events, filmmaker Prem Sagar, son of legendary Ramanand Sagar and a creative force behind mythological storytelling ...
In a tragic turn of events, filmmaker Prem Sagar, son of legendary
Ramanand Sagar and a creative force behind mythological storytelling on Indian
television, passed away on Radha Ashtami and the 5th day of Ganpati Visarjan.
His son, producer Shiv Sagar, remembered him with deep affection, calling his
father a man of faith and patience whose work changed the way India experienced
devotional narratives. “He had done so much work related to Krishna that I feel
he must have gone to Vaikunth Lok. He was a true devotee of Krishna and
Vishnu,” Shiv said, reflecting on the day of his father’s passing,” he says.
Recalling his childhood on the sets of Ramayan, Shiv shared, “I was just 10
years old when the shooting of Ramayan was happening in Umergaon. We often went
to the Umergaon beach near the studio and used to play a lot. At that time, we
had no idea that such a legendary show was being made. Whenever there was a
demand for junior artists, or sometimes when the budget was low for a
particular scene, we used to be called to the set instead. From 9–10 a.m.,
Ramayan used to be on air, and we would watch it together. Even if we missed
it, the next morning we would be woken up and told to watch Ramayan.”
He adds, “I remember Arun Govil ji used to smoke cigarettes, but when
people came to the set, touched his feet, and believed him to be Ram, a spot
boy told him to leave everything since he was playing such a divine role. Even
Ramanand Sagar ji stopped drinking and smoking while Ramayan was being made.
Pure vegetarian food was prepared on the set. Even today, when we make such
devotional serials, we prefer to serve only vegetarian food to everyone on set,
out of shraddha (faith) and respect for God. We are only mediums. Like Papa ji
used to say, ‘I am just a postman. I got the letter and I delivered it.’ I
truly believe such things cannot be made otherwise, there is always a divine
power working through you.”
On the early struggles of bringing Ramayan to life, Shiv remembers, “I
remember Vikram Betal clearly, because my father was a cinematographer. He had
worked as a cinematographer in many films of the 70s: Charas, Lalkar, Geet,
Arzoo, and with big stars like Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Rajendra Kumar, and
Mala Sinha. My grandfather, however, had always wanted to make a film on
Ramayan. The obstacle was how to compress such an epic into a three-hour film.
When the medium of television arrived in India, he was in France shooting
Charas. There he saw television for the first time and recognized its
potential.” He adds, “He decided that Ramayan and Krishna were the stories he
wanted to bring to life through this medium. He traveled widely, meeting NRIs
and investors, sharing his vision of creating Ramayan. Yet many people
dismissed the idea, believing that a filmmaker of his stature should not move
to the small screen and that such a project would fail. To prove the potential,
my father was entrusted with creating Vikram Betal on a budget of just ₹1 lakh
per episode. Sponsorship came and the series was produced as a trial before
Ramayan as a marketing test. My father, Mr. Prem Sagar, directed it. Many
actors from Ramayan were part of Vikram Betal too. The entire Vikram Betal show
was shot in Sagar Villa, our home in Juhu, in the garage where we also had an
editing room. Every episode was made at a cost of ₹80,000 and ₹20,000 remained
as profit. This was back in 1985. The success of Vikram Betal gave us
confidence in the genre and revealed that audiences in India deeply wanted such
mythological stories. Yet Ramayan still faced many challenges.”
Talking about the casting of the show, he says, “They had once announced
a film on Shri Krishna and even cast Shashi Kapoor in the role of Krishna, but
the project was never made. Many, like Dara Singh who played Hanuman, were
already well-known film actors. So imagine asking such big names to act on the
small screen. The actors, however, trusted my father, believing that if he was
creating something, it would definitely be of quality,” he says. Shiv also
spoke about his father’s values: “He was an extremely patient person, and that
is something I have imbibed from him. He had the ability to connect with
everyone, whether a child or an elderly person. He made people feel special and
always brought smiles and laughter to those around him.”
Remembering the re-telecast of Ramayan during the COVID-19 lockdown, he
says, “During the lockdown, I received an unexpected call from the Prime
Minister’s Office (PMO), informing me that they wished to re-telecast Ramayan
on national television. My family and I readily agreed, granting them
permission, though none of us anticipated the overwhelming response it would
generate. The re-run of Ramayan became a massive success, capturing the
attention of audiences across the country. Soon, advertisers too expressed keen
interest, recognizing the extraordinary viewership. However, we made it clear
that this success was their gain, not ours, since we had not charged anything
for allowing the re-telecast. Eventually, a formal agreement was signed, and
following the success of Ramayan, the Krishna serial was also broadcasted. For
me, the greatest joy was seeing how the younger generation, which had never
witnessed these shows before, engaged with them deeply and imbibed valuable
lessons. At a time when people were confined to their homes and facing
uncertainty, these epics brought peace, comfort, and a sense of cultural
rootedness. I truly believe it was by the blessings of Lord Ram that Ramayan
received such immense viewership once again. The prayer meet for Prem Sagar ji
will be held on 3rd September in Mumbai.”
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