New Delhi: A behind-the-scenes documentary on Ramanand Sagar’s iconic 1987 series Ramayan is being produced by his grandson, Shiv Sagar, to explore the show’s historic legacy and primitive production techniques ahead of Nitesh Tiwari’s modern film adaptation.
Shiv announced the project in a recent interview, where he also shared memories from the making of the iconic television epic.
In the interview, he revealed how his grandfather had to work with rudimentary technology. There were no green screens, blue screens, or chroma technology to add computer-generated visual effects. Yet, even 36 years after its original broadcast, the series remains relevant and popular.
“There were no computers for visual effects either. The team worked with linear editing machines,” he said.
According to Shiv, the documentary will also highlight the experiences of the women who worked on the production and what they went through during the shoot.
“The idea behind our documentary is to give viewers an idea of how it was made. It would consist of interviews with cast members, technicians, and family members,” he said. “We want to preserve all this for future generations.”
Shiv also recalled visiting the Ramayan sets in Umargam as a 10-year-old.
“People from all over India would gather to see the shooting and the actors. Thirty thousand to forty thousand people would assemble outside the studio from across the country. It was a crazy phenomenon,” he recalled.
Also read: A Haryanvi song is helping Peter Parker deal with heartbreak
‘Impressed with Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana’
The series was written and directed by Sagar, with narration by Ashok Kumar. During its re-broadcast in 2020, 33 years after its original telecast, the show became one of the most-watched television programmes in the world. It was primarily based on Valmiki’s Ramayana and Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas, and was made on a budget of around Rs 9 lakh per episode. It has a total of 78 episodes.
In the interview, Shiv also praised Tiwari’s upcoming Ramayana. According to him, Yash and Sai Pallavi looked brilliant in the promotional campaign released so far.
“I quite liked it, to be honest. I felt that the quality of the graphics did not match the scale of the budget. However, after watching the trailer and seeing the ensemble cast, I am impressed,” he said.
Shiv added that the makers have kept international audiences in mind and that the film could open a global market for Indian mythology, culture, and fantasy.
“If they manage to pull it off successfully, it will be wonderful and will benefit Indian cinema as a whole,” he said.
The documentary’s release date and streaming platform have not been announced yet.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)