Ramanand Sagar’s popular Hindi TV serial ‘Ramayan’ is returning to the screen from today (July 3). Arun Govil, who plays Shriram, recently shared some memories from the show and how he became a part of it. In an interview given to news agency ANI, he said that ‘from 1977 I started working with Rajshree Pictures and Sagar Sahem. Apart from this, I also worked in ‘Badal’ directed by Anand Sagar. I did the serial ‘Vikram Aur Vetal’. At the same time I came to know that Ramanand Sagar Saheb is making ‘Ramayana’. So I approached him from the front. I wanted to play the role of Shriram.
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Arun Govil was rejected for the role of ‘Shri Ram’
He further said that ‘However, at that time working in mythological serials was not a standard thing. I was doing a lot of commercial films. My family and friends also advised me not to be a part of such a project. He told me, ‘Don’t do it, it’s not right for you.’ Sunil Govil had a great desire to play the character of Shriram onscreen. Initially luck did not favor him and he was rejected. He said, ‘He took my audition and he rejected me in the audition itself.’
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How was the role offered?
‘His sons Prem Sagar, Moti Sagar and Anand Sagar told me about playing Bharat or Lakshman. But I told him that ‘I want to play the role of Shriram and if I am not suitable for it, it is okay’ later he chose another actor for the role, Govil said. However, a few days later the makers approached her for the role, thus getting her chance to be a part of the mythological show.
‘Ramayana’ changed life!
Arun Govil said that the character of Shriram made a deep impact on his mind. ‘The atmosphere in our house was very spiritual. We used to worship regularly. In the evening we used to do aarti together and my mother used to ask me to read Ramayana. At that time we were studying. But at that time we were very young so the impact was not that deep. But when we do something from the heart, then it affects us. The same happened with me after playing the role of Shriram.
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‘I didn’t think the show would become popular’
When asked how much he related to the character of Shriram, he said, ‘I am serious, introverted and calm by nature. So I have some of the same symptoms. This role changed my life completely. Neither the producers nor I thought about how the role and the show became popular. When asked about playing the same role, he said, ‘This role gave me a lot. That I have gained much more than what I had lost.’
Varun Govil’s next film
‘Ramayana’ was telecast again during the pandemic and it gained immense popularity at that time. Talking about what he thinks about the show coming back on TV, Arun Govil said, ‘Ramayan is an institution that teaches you how to live life. It is said that if it is adopted in life, life will become very happy and peaceful. On the work front, he is currently doing a stage show titled ‘Suno Shri Ram Ki Kahani’, which is based on Ramayana. Apart from this, he will also be seen in Akshay Kumar starrer film ‘OMG 2’.
