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An Epic Life

An Epic Life

Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan

Prem Sagar
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On 25 January 1987, with the telecast of the very first episode of Ramayan, Indian television changed for all time to come. In a matter of weeks, the series became a national obsession. During the Ramayan slot, roads emptied out. No marriages and political rallies were scheduled for that time. More than three decades later, there has been nothing to match it.

Ramanand Sagar, the man behind the phenomenon and a successful filmmaker from Bombay, was among the first to recognise the immense power of television. He first made his mark as a writer in Raj Kapoor’s Barsat (1949). From 1961 to 1970, Sagar wrote, produced and directed six consecutive silver jubilee hits-Ghunghat, Zindagi, Arzoo, Ankhen, Geet and Lalkar.

An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar, From Barsaat to Ramayan, written by his son, Prem Sagar, an award-winning cinematographer, is an intimate look at the life of a visionary. It traces Sagar’s life from his birth in Kashmir in 1917, his dramatic escape in 1947 when Pakistani tribesmen attacked the state, his arrival in Bombay and his subsequent glorious career-the crowning achievement of which was the smashing success of Ramayan.

Imprint: India Penguin

Published: May/2023

ISBN: 9780143459354

Length : 304 Pages

MRP : ₹399.00

An Epic Life

Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan

Prem Sagar

On 25 January 1987, with the telecast of the very first episode of Ramayan, Indian television changed for all time to come. In a matter of weeks, the series became a national obsession. During the Ramayan slot, roads emptied out. No marriages and political rallies were scheduled for that time. More than three decades later, there has been nothing to match it.

Ramanand Sagar, the man behind the phenomenon and a successful filmmaker from Bombay, was among the first to recognise the immense power of television. He first made his mark as a writer in Raj Kapoor’s Barsat (1949). From 1961 to 1970, Sagar wrote, produced and directed six consecutive silver jubilee hits-Ghunghat, Zindagi, Arzoo, Ankhen, Geet and Lalkar.

An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar, From Barsaat to Ramayan, written by his son, Prem Sagar, an award-winning cinematographer, is an intimate look at the life of a visionary. It traces Sagar’s life from his birth in Kashmir in 1917, his dramatic escape in 1947 when Pakistani tribesmen attacked the state, his arrival in Bombay and his subsequent glorious career-the crowning achievement of which was the smashing success of Ramayan.

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Prem Sagar

Prem Sagar began his career as a cinematographer with Ramanand Sagar's Lalkar (1970) soon after completing his education from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune where he was a recipient of a gold medal for the best academic student of the year and a silver medal for the best photographed student film.


He was associated as a cinematographer or technical adviser with several popular and memorable films of Sagar Arts, including Charas, Bhagawat, Hamrahi, Pyara Dushman, Armaan, Jalte Badan, Badal, Prem Bandhan and Salma. He then turned director with Hum Tere Ashiq Hain.


In the Eighties Prem Sagar produced and directed Indian television's first fantasy serial, Vikram aur Betaal. Closely associated with the show Ramayan, Sagar went on to have an extremely successful career in television being associated with shows like Shri Krishna, Sai Baba, Prithviraj Chauhan and Chandra Gupta Maurya in various creative capacities. He also directed Jai Maa Durga, Mahima Shani Dev Ki, Jai Jai Jai Bajrang Bali and Basera.


Prem Sagar has to his credit a total of fifteen awards as Director of Photography and many accomplishments in the field of still photography. The honours include the prestigious associateship of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and the Artiste Federation Internationale de L'Arts Photographique Paris.

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