As most of us are relishing their old memories of #Ramayan on TV. Let me try to tell something about it's origin. Thread on Ramanand Sagar and his epic Creation 👇
Born in Lahore, named as Chandramouli, one who holds the crescent moon on his forehead, from Lord Shiva. Father Lala Dinanath Chopra was landlords and held the zamindari of ~500 acres of land. Few generation back they were the Nagar Seth of Srinagar), during Maharaja Gulab Singh.
He wrote two plays, Gaura and Kalakar, for Prithvi Theatres in 1948 and was associated with 29 films between 1949 and 1985, either as producer, director or writer. Also, create over 2,000 hours of television content, including the legendary series Ramayan (1987).
He originally wrote under the name Ramanand Bedi, from his mother Isha Devi who belonged to a Bedi family. However, he settled on the name Sagar as he wanted his writing to flows unrestricted like sagar, without boundaries, and is vishal (endless).
In 1976, During the shooting of Charas in Switzerland, he first saw a wooden rectangular cabinet showing French film in colour at a French Cafe. It was a colour TV. He said TV is the Future. Industry's folk said: Who will watch a serial about mukut-mooch (crown and moustaches)?
He gave contact letters to some of his richest overseas Indian friends and sent his son(Prem) off on a business trip to collect funds for his mammoth dream project. Prem Sagar after months trip came empty hand. There were zero buyers for Ramanand Sagar’s vision and Ramayan.
In the mean while, they(Sagars) created Vikram Aur Betaal for DD. Later, the same star cast was cast in Ramayan. Arun Govil, (King Vikram as Ram) Deepika Chikhalia (princess as Sita) Sunil Lahri (prince as Laxman) and Dara Singh (Virvar the warrior, as the mighty Hanuman).
Apart from the funding, the Central Govt. at Delhi was not very keen with the idea. Then I&B minister V.N. Gadgil felt that such show will make the inroad for BJP (man he was so RIGHT). Anyways, the post Shah Bano things started changing and Rajeev Gandhi wanted to balance.
So, after a lot of Office-Office that was played to Mr. Sagar between Delhi bureaucracy and Mandi House for around 2-3 years. The two Chopras (BR) were asked by DD to produce something on Ramayana and Mahabharata.
But Sagar was again struck to an IAS, who was heading DD that time. Bhaskar Ghose (father of Sagarika Ghose) refused to give him an additional twenty-six weeks and he felt he can't condense the story further and need this to start his production. He got that after sometime.
Now, he had just 9 days before the first telecast to find a studio, get the set ready and costumes. An almost immpossible task. Sagar soon roped in Hirabhai Patel, only man who could do this.
Mr. Patel, owned an abandoned sprawling Vrindavan Studios in Umargaon, Gujarat. The moulded palace pillars, thrones and settings were ready since he had done many work for Wadia Studio, they have to quickly assemble them.
Bombay-umargaon road will for next few months was to became a busy road carrying the crew of Ramayana. It was hectic and a lot of efforts was put into by everyone. Data Singh had to spend 4-5 hours in makeup to get the Hanuman look.
25th Jan 1987, Indian television saw something which was more than an epic event. Ramayana (alongside Mahabharat) will later prove to the big money making thing for DD. But it was beyond money.
PS: thread has some grammatical mistakes. But with no Twitter edit and my 2Y old Baahuboy and going through this, please live with it. 
