Arun Govil aka Ram of the original Ramayan says, ‘My career came to standstill as producers didn’t want to cast me in any other role’

Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia achieved cult status after playing the roles of Ram and Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 Ramayan. Their names have been synonymous as Lord Rama and Sita. While veteran actor Arun speaks about the downfall of his career after the show, Dipika speaks about getting ready for her second innings in the showbiz. Excerpts from their interview. (By: Tanvi Trivedi)

The fact that someone is asking me about my role 31 years after the show ended, proves that people still consider me the best version of Ram on screen. (Writer-director Ramanand) Sagar sir’s 'Ramayan' had an impressive cast, the script was outstanding, the performances were good and above all, his belief in 'Ramayan' made all the difference. After our show ended, many others, including Sagar sir’s sons, made shows on the epic. However, I felt that their casting was not as good. I could be termed old-school, but I believe that the content of a mythological or historical show should not be tampered with. Technologically, we are more advanced today, but our show was supreme in terms of content.

I had started my career as a Hindi film hero and post Ramayan, when I wanted to return to Bollywood, the producers said, ‘Your image as Ram is so strong, we cannot cast you as anyone else or give you a supporting role.’ They felt that I was not suited for commercial movies anymore. That became the biggest minus point of my career, and I realised that I could never return to showbiz the way I wanted to. I took up a few TV shows, but every time I did something, people rejected me saying, ‘Arre, Ramji kya kar rahe hain’.

I was disappointed and there was a question mark on my career. On one hand, a single show had earned me immense love and admiration, but on the other, my career came to a standstill. I worked for a few more years before putting a full stop to my career in showbiz. For the last 14 years, I have not done anything, except maybe make a few special appearances. I have not given up on acting completely, but I will do something only if it is good.

I remember, after the audition for 'Ramayan', I had requested Sagar sir for Ram’s role, but they had already chosen someone else. They asked me if I was ready to play Lakshman or Bharat, but I declined. Then suddenly, one day, they told me that I was playing Ram. If you are sure about yourself and what you want, you will succeed.

I turned towards my guru, who evoked my interest in spirituality and the study of mantras. It’s not that I have turned cynical because I got a raw deal. One has to take life as it comes. If life gives you many things at one point, there is always a balance that it strikes at another point. I am not jobless now; it’s just that it was not important to continue acting. There has never been a situation where I had to worry about running the family. I have always had the faith that I can support myself.

I don’t understand the content on TV now, though technically, they have grown by leaps and bounds. The actors are good and hard-working, but there is no story or logic in the shows. People ask why TV shows are dragging, it is because viewers continue to watch them. We need finite shows. I was offered many roles to play the father, but they were not meaningful at all.

It is not necessary that two co-actors have to be friends. Dipika and I would talk only about work and that was fine.

She entered politics as a Member of Parliament (from 1991 to 1996). Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala says that she had received “everything on a platter”. But post her marriage to industrialist Hemant Topiwala, she preferred to focus on her personal life and disappeared from the limelight.

There were pros and cons of portraying Sita. I became a household name, but the image of Sita went against me because after that, I was offered similar roles on TV. I wasn’t glamourous like Zeenat Aman or Hema Malini, and maybe that’s why I was not approached for big roles in films. After a long time, I took up a role in a historical show because it gave me a chance to do something different. I also moved to regional cinema, but it wasn’t easy, as I could not speak South Indian languages. After a point, I gave up.