It was based primarily on the Srimad Bhagwat, and covered all the way from Shri Krishna’s birth to his grandchildren. Shri Krishna, which happens to be my most favorite work by Sagar, aired for more than seven and a half years with over 200 episodes.
RAMANAND SAGAR SHRI KRISHNA LEELA SERIAL
The series also proved to be a hit, and then Sagar decided to produce and direct a mega television serial which would require even more detailing and hard work than Ramayan, and that was Shri Krishna. Sagar followed Ramayan with Luv-Kush, based off of the Uttar Ramayan book, showcasing the further adventures of Shri Ram and his children Luv-Kush. Ramayan would turn out to be that work for which Sagar would be forever remembered and identified, and till date, the series is a benchmark for the best adaptation of the epic ever. Till date, many people claim that when they think of Shri Ram, the image of Arun Govil pops in their head, or Dara Singh as Hanuman.
RAMANAND SAGAR SHRI KRISHNA LEELA TV
Airing every Sunday morning, people dropped everything and sat enraptured in front of their TV set, some even worshipping the actors in real life as incarnations of Lord Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. The gamble on Ramayan proved to be one of the most fateful decisions by Sagar, as it became the first ever blockbuster on Indian television. Many of the actors in the two aforementioned serials were cast in Ramayan, most notably Arun Govil as Ram, Dipika Chikalia as Sita, Sunil Lahri as Lakshman, Arvind Trivedi as Ravan, and Dara Singh as Hanuman. It was directed by Sagar’s son Prem for Doordarshan and its success, followed by his other son Moti’s Dada Dadi Ki Kahaniyaan, cemented Ramanand Sagar’s belief in creating Ramayan for the small screen. Sagar decided to test the television waters before undertaking such an important endeavor, and his production company first produced the hit series Vikram Aur Betaal, starring Arun Govil and Sajjan.
![ramanand sagar shri krishna leela ramanand sagar shri krishna leela](https://n2.sdlcdn.com/imgs/j/p/d/Shri-Krishna-leela-Complate-Series-SDL038317811-2-c4b84.jpg)
With television, Sagar could present all that he wanted without having the constraint of time. Another key idea of bringing this epic to television would be the ability to analyze and present interesting details and anecdotes glazed over by the Ramayan film adaptations of the past, which only gave the basic details of the story. He decided that for his magnum opus project, television would be the optimal method of transmission, and that project would be an adaptation of the epic Ramayan. Legend has it that he began to foresee television as being that very medium which would bring families together and carry with it a worldwide appeal. He wanted to do something that would be his magnum opus, a project for which he would be eternally remembered. However, as stories suggest, these works gave him much name and fame but did not provide him with the true feeling of satisfaction that he sought from life. He went on to become a highly successful filmmaker with hits such as Arzoo, Geet, Baghavat, Salma, Romance, Lalkar, Charas, Jalte Badan, and Aankhen. Ramanand Sagar was a man who actually began his career in Bollywood films as a writer, most notably writing the Raj Kapoor classic Barsaat.
![ramanand sagar shri krishna leela ramanand sagar shri krishna leela](https://i.imgur.com/D4EvZ6h.png)
![ramanand sagar shri krishna leela ramanand sagar shri krishna leela](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c2/a6/42/c2a6424cb960bb9322f681b205c32622.jpg)
Thus began my journey and fascination toward watching nearly each and every television work of this great man, who would not only instill in me a deep devotion towards the Almighty, but also enable me to learn much about Hindu values and traditions, as well as the Hindi language. The man explained, as an intro to the series, the various shades and forms Lord Krishna is known for around the world and the objective of the serial to depict him as the colorful spiritual figure that he truly is.įrom that introduction I was hooked, and when I asked my mother who the gentleman on the television was, she told me he was the director – Ramanand Sagar. To achieve that goal, she popped in a videocassette of the television series Shri Krishna, and at the outset, the image of a pleasant looking, intelligent man filled the screen. My mother had sought to imbibe in me early an appreciation for the spiritual core that made up Hinduism and a big part of Indian culture. Remembering the creator of Ramayan on his 98 th birthday.īy Vikrum Mathur Ramanand Sagar photo credit: WASHINGTON, DC: The year was 1991, and I had just turned 3.