Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayan’ Documentary To Release on December 29; Grandson Shiv Sagar Reveals Untold Stories (EXCLUSIVE)

Producer Shiv Sagar opens up about his upcoming documentary exploring the spiritual and creative journey behind his grandfather Ramanand Sagar's iconic TV series “Ramayan.” He shares untold stories of divine encounters, the meticulous crafting of Arun Govil's famous smile, and more.

You're making a documentary on Ramanand Sagar's ‘Ramayan.’ Why now? Is Nitesh Tiwari's film partly responsible for the timing?
Yes, certainly. The timing felt appropriate. With Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana” generating so much interest, audiences are naturally revisiting and comparing different interpretations of the epic. That has created an opportunity to look back at my grandfather's “Ramayan”—not simply as a television series, but as a cultural phenomenon and as the story of how it was actually made. Our documentary is intended to explore the man behind the series, the circumstances in which he made it, the challenges he faced, and the spiritual and creative journey that led to its creation.

When do you plan to release your documentary on ‘Ramayan’?
We are planning to release “Making of an Epic – When the Screen Became Sacred” very soon. This documentary is a heartfelt tribute to my grandfather, Dr. Ramanand Sagar, and my father, Prem Sagar. We want to ensure that it reaches audiences across generations and celebrates the extraordinary legacy of ‘Ramayan’ (1987). We are planning to release it on my grandfather’s birthday, which is on December 29, 2026.

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Ramanand Sagar initially rejected Arun Govil as Lord Rama. Why did he change his mind?
I don’t know exactly what changed my grandfather’s mind. What I do know from my family’s understanding of the process is that Arunji was not initially among my grandfather’s first choices. My father Prem Sagar, my uncles Anand Sagar and Moti Sagar, and others in the family strongly advocated for him. Ultimately, my grandfather made the decision, and the rest became history.

Is it true that Ramanand Sagar spent months working on the particular smile that eventually defined Arun Govil’s Lord Rama?
My grandfather made ‘Ramayan’ at the age of 70. By then, he was an extremely seasoned writer, director and producer. He knew the scriptures deeply, spoke eight languages and was a formidable intellectual. While directing Arunji, he understood that Lord Rama is not an excessively demonstrative or talkative character. Therefore, many of his emotions had to be conveyed through subtle expressions. My grandfather worked with Arunji on different kinds of smiles and expressions—each conveying a slightly different emotion. There was a quality of an all-knowing smile, while simultaneously allowing the leela to unfold around him. That eventually became one of the defining characteristics of Arunji’s Lord Rama. I would give a lot of credit to my grandfather’s direction for identifying and shaping that quality, and equally to Arunji for executing it so beautifully.

If Ramanand Sagar were to cast for Lord Rama today, would he have chosen Ranbir Kapoor?
It's impossible for me to speak definitively on behalf of my grandfather. But knowing his approach to casting and his very specific understanding of the character of Lord Rama, I think he would have had a very rigorous process before making that decision. He was extremely particular about what he wanted from the actor playing Lord Rama, so I imagine Ranbir would have had to convince him through that process.