- Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan (1987) set a cultural benchmark with Arun Govil as Lord Ram
- The 1992 Indo-Japanese animated Ramayana featured a youthful, agile portrayal of Ram
- TV adaptations in 2008 and 2015 added emotional depth and modern perspectives to Ram
What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about the Ramayana? It is undoubtedly Arun Govil walking as the serene and dignified Lord Ram in his signature traditional golden-hued silk or fine cotton dhoti, paired with matching regal drapes in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan.
It goes without saying that, in India, few stories have travelled across generations quite like the Ramayana. Whether through religious texts, folk traditions, theatre, television, or cinema, the epic has continually found new audiences and fresh perspectives while remaining deeply rooted in its authenticity. At the centre of this timeless story is Lord Ram, a figure primarily associated with dharma, duty, compassion, sacrifice, and the ideal of a just ruler.
For over three decades, Indian cinema and television have continuously revisited the Ramayana, reimagining its narrative according to changing times and cultures. As audiences evolved, so too did their perception of its characters.
So, how has the portrayal of Lord Ram changed? Let's take a look at that evolution as Ramayana returns to the big screen with renewed ambition, this time with Nitesh Tiwari at the helm and Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Ram.
Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan
When Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan aired on Doordarshan in January 1987, India did not simply watch the epic for the first time on television; it experienced it. The show became a cultural phenomenon unprecedented in Indian television history. Even today, despite repeated reminders not to compare later adaptations with it, such comparisons continue to happen because of the benchmark it set.
At the time, television was not present in every household and was still finding its place in Indian homes. As a result, Ramayan transformed viewing into a communal experience.
Arun Govil brought Lord Ram to life on screen. He was portrayed as Maryada Purushottam, the perfect embodiment of righteousness and virtue. What struck a chord with audiences was his calm demeanour, gentle smile, and soft, measured dialogue delivery.
Photo Credit: IMDb
For millions of viewers, Arun Govil's face became synonymous with divinity itself. Streets would be empty during Sunday morning broadcasts, and it reached a stage where families performed aarti in front of television sets whenever he appeared as Lord Ram.
If we look at it from a modern perspective, we can see that Ramayan's narrative leaned heavily on devotion (bhakti), theatrical staging, and simple visual effects that emphasised spiritual warmth over grand spectacle.
It consciously did not portray Ram as a conventional action hero. Instead, it focused on his commitment to dharma, his respect for his parents, his relationship with Sita and Lakshman, and his willingness to accept hardship in the name of duty.
With this, the image of Lord Ram became inseparable from Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. Starring Arun Govil as Ram and Deepika Chikhalia as Sita, the television show became a landmark in Indian broadcasting.
More than three decades later, Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan remains an important reference point in discussions not only about the Ramayana but also mythological storytelling on Indian television.
When the show returned during the 2020 lockdown, it served as another reminder of its timeless appeal. As audiences revisited the show, younger viewers also discovered the show that had shaped their parents' and grandparents' understanding of Lord Ram.
Without a doubt, the legacy of Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan did not end with its original broadcast. Over the years, the epic returned to television through newer adaptations, each attempting to introduce its characters to audiences with different viewing habits and expectations.
Animation and More (1990s)
In 1992, the epic took a bold artistic leap with the Indo-Japanese animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, co-directed by Yugo Sako and Ram Mohan. Voiced by Arun Govil in Hindi and Bryan Cranston in English, this version presented a youthful, graceful, and agile Ram, quite different from earlier portrayals. For audiences, it demonstrated that Ram could be interpreted differently while remaining faithful to the core story.
Photo Credit: IMDb
The film's fusion of traditional Japanese anime aesthetics with Indian storytelling created a visually stunning and timeless work. It also showed how the Ramayana could travel beyond the boundaries of language and medium.
What Happened In The 2000s And 2010s?
By this time, cable television had expanded across India and become widely accessible. Creators sought to retell the epic for a new generation of viewers growing up in the digital age.
NDTV Imagine's Ramayan (2008): Starring Gurmeet Choudhary as Lord Ram, this adaptation retained the traditional devotional aspect while introducing sleeker production values, grander sets, and more stylised action sequences.
Photo Credit: IMDb
Star Plus's Siya Ke Ram (2015): Starring Ashish Sharma, this adaptation offered a fresh perspective by narrating the story largely through Sita's lens. Lord Ram was reimagined as an empathetic partner and wise philosopher, highlighting emotional depth alongside his warrior qualities.
These adaptations faced a challenge very different from that of the original series. They had to preserve the devotional essence of the Ramayana while competing for attention in an increasingly crowded entertainment landscape where audiences constantly sought something new.
Additionally, because many viewers were already familiar with the story through Ramanand Sagar's version, there was an expectation that newer adaptations would offer a fresh perspective.
Modern Cinema: Visual Effects And Spectacle
While television brought the Ramayana into millions of homes, cinema offered storytellers the opportunity to interpret its world on a different scale. It is important to remember that there is no single visual tradition through which the story has been told. Regional retellings, oral traditions, devotional literature, and different artistic representations have shaped how audiences understand its characters. Consequently, each screen adaptation carries the influence of the version it draws from and the audience it hopes to reach.
For cinema, the main challenge has been to balance familiarity with spectacle. The grandeur of Ayodhya, the forest exile, the abduction of Sita, Hanuman's journey to Lanka and the eventual battle against Ravana provide filmmakers with opportunities to create expansive visual worlds. However, the scale of the production is only one part of the task. At its heart, the story also depends on Ram's internal struggle between personal desire and responsibility.
Elaborate sets, cinematography, sound design and visual effects can enhance the experience, but authenticity is something that is always questioned. The lingering question remains: how can a filmmaker make a familiar story feel new without losing the values that have kept it alive?
In recent years, Indian cinema has increasingly turned to large-scale VFX blockbusters to reimagine mythological figures for modern and global audiences.
Adipurush (2023): Directed by Om Raut and starring Prabhas as Raghav (Ram), this adaptation sought to reimagine the epic as an action-heavy fantasy adventure. Drawing inspiration from Hollywood superhero films and relying heavily on CGI, this portrayal highlighted warrior prowess and large-scale battle sequences over quiet contemplation.
However, Adipurush also demonstrated the challenges of reimagining a revered story. Its visual choices, dialogue, and portrayal of familiar characters attracted criticism, sparking conversations about creative freedom, cultural sensitivity, and the expectations audiences bring to mythological adaptations.
Ramayana Part 1 and Part 2 (Upcoming Modern Adaptations): As filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari and major studios undertake a new adaptation starring contemporary Bollywood actors such as Ranbir Kapoor, the cinematic trajectory continues towards merging classical narrative fidelity with cutting-edge visual technology.
The latest cinematic chapter in this journey is Nitesh Tiwari's two-part Ramayana, produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Yash as Ravana.
The first installment is scheduled for a worldwide release on November 5, 2026, while the second part is planned for Diwali 2027. Designed as a large-scale cinematic experience, the project will feature IMAX presentation, extensive visual effects, and an original score by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman.
As per the latest looks available, Ranbir is seen with a calm, dignified, and understated screen presence, opting for a regal appearance rather than an overly muscular physique. The character's appearance has been designed to reflect restraint, grace, and royalty, staying true to the traditional image of Lord Ram.
For Ranbir, stepping into the role means taking on a character whose screen identity has been shaped by decades of cultural memory. Ranbir recently appeared on Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati, where he shared his thoughts on portraying Lord Ram.
"When this role was offered to me, I knew that this wasn't just a role; it was a big responsibility. My first instinct was fear. Was I qualified enough to play this role?
"Would I be able to do this role? The faith of crores of people is linked to Lord Shri Ram. But very soon, this fear turned into gratitude," he said.
However, the actor added that his initial fear soon turned into gratitude as he realised that he had been given an opportunity to play such an important character. Ranbir also spoke about how the role came to him around the time he became a father. "I felt gratitude that I got this opportunity at this stage of my life and a chance to become a better human being," he said.
The actor added that working on the film gave him an opportunity to learn more about the epic and collaborate with people he admired. "It's not impossible to become like Lord Ram, but to learn something from him is a big deal for all of us," Ranbir said.
The film's approach also places renewed emphasis on the human dimensions of Ram's journey. Exile, separation, sacrifice and the conflict between personal happiness and duty form the emotional foundation of the epic.
For viewers familiar with Ramanand Sagar's version, it offers an opportunity to revisit an established story through a different cinematic lens.
The film uses a more advanced version of the motion-capture technology popularised by Avatar, enabling the filmmakers to record even the smallest facial expressions and subtle movements of the actors. These details are then transferred with high precision to digitally created characters, including mythological beings, demons and deities, helping deliver more realistic performances on screen.
Evolution
From the devotional and serene portrayal of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan during the 1980s, the character gradually evolved through different mediums and generations. The 1990s animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama presented a more youthful and agile hero, while television adaptations in the 2000s and 2010s reimagined Ram as an empathetic ruler and relatable protagonist for modern audiences.
In the 2020s, big-screen adaptations have increasingly portrayed him within visually grand, effects-driven worlds, often emphasising scale, action, and cinematic spectacle while continuing to draw from the timeless values associated with the character.
So, in the end, we can say that the shift from Ramanand Sagar's television masterpiece to contemporary big-screen blockbusters reflects a broader transformation in Indian entertainment culture. While earlier adaptations prioritised a quiet spiritual tone and moral righteousness, modern cinematic interpretations often embrace action, visual grandeur, and epic scale. Yet, despite changing storytelling techniques and visual styles, the core narrative of Lord Ram's journey continues to resonate across generations.
Ultimately, the evolution of Lord Ram on screen is not simply a story of television giving way to cinema or traditional production techniques being replaced by advanced visual effects. It is the story of how an ancient epic continues to find relevance in a constantly changing entertainment landscape.
For those who grew up watching Arun Govil as Ram on a television screen, the character may always carry the familiarity and warmth of that first encounter. For a younger generation, Ranbir Kapoor's portrayal could become a defining visual memory of its own.
And that is perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Ramayana: its story can be retold, its world rebuilt, and its characters reimagined, yet every generation continues to find its own way of connecting with Lord Ram.