Ramayana and Mahabharat - the two ancient epics of our country find their way into our popular culture over the decades. The re-imaginations and re-interpretations of the epics derive their colour, connotations and significance from the age and time of their production because these two epics are shaped and nurtured by popular imagination at large. Times changed, the lens of the makers changed; but the message of the classics became the mirror for each and every Indian household to introspect within and without.
Nitesh Tiwari has brought India's biggest superstars Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi together for the 2026 Hindi film Ramayana. Made on a budget of Rs 4,000 crore, the film is touted to be the biggest release of the year.
Ahead of the grand release of Ramayana, let's revisit the televised versions of the epic that bound the Indian families together in an era sans AI and OTT space.
Ramayan (1987-88)
Directed by Ramanand Sagar, who also created and wrote it, the iconic TV serial Ramayana ran for 78 episodes on Doordarshan, from January 25, 1987 to July 31, 1988, Sunday mornings at 9:30 am.
The series primarily drew its source material from Valmiki and Tulsidas. Arun Govil played Ram, Deepika Chikhlia was Sita, Sunil Lahri was Lakshman, and Dara Singh was Hanuman.
Ramayana came full circle for Arun Govil as he would be portraying Lord Rama's father, King Dashrath, in the grand film.
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (1993)
Directed by Yugo Sako, with Koichi Sasaki and India's Ram Mohan, this landmark 1990s anime adaptation had a runtime of 135 minutes.
This was a joint venture between India and Japan as the two countries marked forty years of diplomatic ties. It premiered at the International Film Festival of India in New Delhi in 1993.
The English version has Sanskrit songs and voices that include Rahul Bose and Cyrus Broacha. A 4K remaster released in theatres in 2022, and is widely appreciated by young lovers.
Ramayan (2008-2009)
The 2008 TV series Ramayan starring Gurmeet Choudhary originally aired on Imagine TV. It ran for 300 episodes. While Gurmeet played Ram, Debina Bonnerjee played Sita and Ankit Arora played Lakshman.
Directed by Shakti Sagar Chopra, the show received love for the chemistry between Gurmeet and Debina, the real-life couple, who revived the classic romance on screen as well.
Ramayan - Jeevan Ka Aadhar (2012)
Produced by Sagar Pictures which aired on Zee TV, Ramayan - Jeevan Ka Aadhar is an adaptation of Ramcharitmanas.
Directed by Mukesh Singh, Pawan Parkhi and Rajesh Shikhre, the show ran for 56 episodes. Gagan Malik played Ram, Neha Sargam played Sita and Neil Bhatt played Lakshman.
Siya Ke Ram (2015)
This show ran for over 300 episodes of about 24 minutes each on Star Plus. The USP of the show was its viewpoint: the epic told through Sita's eyes.
Ashish Sharma plays Ram, Madirakshi Mundle plays Sita and Karan Suchak plays Lakshman.
The series covers the big moments, from Sita's swayamvara to the trial by fire and the coronation.
Conclusion
The appeal of Ramayana will not lose its essence and relevance for the Indian audience irrespective of the era it is produced in. The vision might change, the technology might evolve, but the age-old appeal of the epic, which is synonymous with Indian culture, will find its audience. With technology, comes the scrutiny, the commentary and the debate over the 'purity' of the intention.
Like every age, we can hope Ranbir Kapoor-Sai Pallavi's Ramayana will impact the audience in its purest form.
Also Read | Ravi Dubey's Meteoric Rise: From Television's Jamai Raja To Ramayana's Lakshman
