Every actor dream of getting a break by acting in a high-budget show that’s supposed to be watched by millions. How would anyone feel when they have such an opportunity knocking there but denies it due to the unavailability of dates?
The same thing happened with Sanjay Jog, who was initially offered the lead role of Laxman but had to settle with the role of Bharat. Reports say that he was denied the role because of the unavailability of dates.
This happened in the 1987 mythological series known as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana. The series not only broke records on its initial launch but also claimed massive TRP on its re-telecast during the pandemic. The star cast again came to the limelight and was popularly discussed because of the re-telecast.
This article discusses some amazing facts about the popular show and shares the story of Sanjay Jog, AKA Bharat, and how he missed the opportunity to perform a lead role in the world’s most viewed Mythological series.
About Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana
The show is an epic Hind language television series that discusses the ancient sacred Ramayana. It was launched when televisions were almost new in the country, and people had never seen such a sophisticated dramatization of the most popular story.
Ramanand Sagar created, wrote, and directed the show, which was initially aired between 1987 and 1988 on DD National. Ashok Kumar narrated it with his voice-over, and Ravindra Jain composed the music.
Back then, the series broke many records taking DD National’s TRP to an all-time high. Each episode was created with a budget of ₹9 Lakh, and the channel was able to make around ₹40 per episode. It was a huge deal in that era.
Many news agencies, including BBC, documented the show’s massive success, which crossed over 650 million views then. Initially, it had a viewership of 82%, and the repeat telecast was aired on 20 different channels in 17 countries on all five continents in different time zones. The show again surpassed a whopping 77 million views by 16th April 2020.
Some say it was because of the coronavirus lockdown where people had much free time at home. However, it justifies the popularity of the series and Ramayana in modern society.
Sanjay Jog, AKA Bharat Story
Sanjay, who played the role of Bharat in Ramayana, is often appreciated for his great dialogue delivery and emotional scenes. Despite limited time on screen, he vindicated his role and was able to leave a lasting impact on the audience’s mind.
But only a few know that Sanjay was first offered the lead role of Laxman in Ramayana. He knew Ramanand’s Sagar Ramayana would be a big deal as it included a big budget, a strong star cast, and a great story.
Despite all these perks, the actor had to refuse because of the unavailability of dates. Later, the makers, in coordination with Sanjay, decided that the role of Bharat would be best suitable for him as it’s a small role and doesn’t include a huge time commitment. Makers were quite happy with their decision.
Later, Sunil Lahiri played the role of Laxman. The actor was new in the industry but had previously worked on multiple projects, including regional Marathi and Gujarati films. But Ramayana gave him a big break that every actor dreams of, and his career in the mainstream industry flourished after that.
As per reports, the actors passed at the age of 40 long ago on 27 Nov 1995. Liver failure was the reason quoted behind his death. Sanjay left us too soon, but he will always be remembered for his good work and spectacular acting skills that mesmerized the audience.
Some unknown and interesting facts about Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana
Every show has some behind the scene facts that are always interesting but often left undiscussed. Here are some unknown and interesting facts about the 1987 mythological series.
1. The series used to be telecast every Sunday morning. BBC recalled that the streets were deserted, shops would be closed, and people used to bathe and garland their tv sets before the show began. Ramayana is considered a sacred story of Lord Vishnu’s incarnation on Earth as Ram with a motive to establish Dharma. It has a special place in people’s hearts, as seen in their enthusiasm for celebrating the telecast.
2. They shot the first episode of the series for more than 15 days, where shockingly, all crew members used to live at the shooting location most of the time. The shoot lasted for around 550 days. It lasted so long because the team didn’t have experience in shooting such a big-budget series.
3. Initially, Ramayana was supposed to be 52 episodes, but because of its popularity, it stretched to 78 episodes.
4. Among the most important scene of the series – the construction of the Ram Setu was shot at the actual location in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The director wanted to shoot in the same blue and clear water, which was unavailable at the shoot location.
5. Almost every lead character has an interesting story about joining the show. Arun Govil, who acted as Ram, was initially rejected for the role, but his smile during the photoshoot helped him to bag the role. Dipika Chikhlia had to go under a 4-5 screen test to qualify for the role of Sita. Arvind Trivedi auditioned for Kewat but played Ravana.
6. Jayshree Gadkar and Bal Dhuri, who played the roles of king Dashrath and Kaushaya, are married couples in real life too.
The series entertains and teaches a lot about Ramayana on screen, but it also has some interesting behind-the-scenes facts that are worth knowing.
Conclusion
Sanjay Jog left us too soon. Also, Amit Trivedi recently left all of us at 82 on 6 October 2021. The series included a fantastic star cast who are known for their spectacular acting skills that entertained generations and might continue to provide knowledge with entertainment to future generations as well.
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