Ramanand Sagar is a name that everyone is aware of mostly because of his creating TV shows that, to this date, are etched into people's minds. Ramanand Sagar has shaped the fortune of many stars including Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhlia who he cast as Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. Ramanand Sagar might not be with us anymore but, many people still remember him because of his work.
Ramanand Sagar who became a legend on television and in films came from a humble background and belonged to an ordinary family. Born in December 1917 in Lahore, Ramanand Sagar was born as Chandramouli Chopra. His grandfather came from Peshawar and settled in Kashmir with his family. When Ramanand Sagar was 5, his mother died. He was then adopted by his maternal grandmother who changed his name from Chandramouli to Ramanand Sagar. Famous director Vidhu Vinod Chopra is Ramanand Sagar's half-brother from his father's second marriage.
"My childhood was not easy even in my maternal uncle's house," Ramanand Sagar once said.
Despite the struggles in his personal life, Ramanand Sagar was fond of reading and writing. He sold soaps to earn his living, worked as a helper in a goldsmith's shop, worked as a peon, and even worked as a truck cleaner. He once said, "I was fond of reading and writing and I used to invest whatever I earned from this work in my studies."
Ramanand Sagar wrote 32 short stories, 4 stories, 1 novel, and 2 plays. He was also the editor of Punjab's well-known newspaper Daily Milap. Post this, Ramanand Sagar began his career in films as a clapper boy and went on to work as an assistant stage manager in Prithvi Theatre. Ramanand Sagar was the one who wrote the story and screenplay of Raj Kapoor's film 'Barsaat'.
In 1987, Ramanand Sagar created history and became a household name when he wrote, directed, and produced 'Ramayana'. He gained immense fame all over the world because of it. He made many shows for TV like 'Luv Kush', 'Alif Laila', 'Shri Krishna', 'Sai Baba', and 'Jai Ganga Maiya', which people like even today.
Ramanand Sagar died on December 12, 2005, aged 88 at his home in Mumbai after a series of health problems.
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