As the historic Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya approaches on January 22, Arun Govil, renowned for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the iconic TV series Ramayan (1987), has shared profound thoughts on Lord Ram’s significance as the embodiment of the country’s identity and cultural values.
In a recent interview with PTI, Arun Govil expressed deep reverence for Lord Ram, describing Him as a source of pride, culture, and the very identity of the nation. According to Govil, Lord Ram encapsulates the core values that form the foundation of Indian culture, including courage, seriousness, thoughtful reflection, and respect for elders.
“Lord Ram is our pride, culture, country’s identity, and self-respect. The courage of Lord Ram, the seriousness, the thought process, the respect given to elders, and all these elements that are in our culture… Everything is Ram,” said Arun Govil.
Reflecting on his journey as Lord Ram in Ramayan, Govil revealed that he initially faced rejection for the role but eventually returned to portray the iconic character. Despite the challenges, Govil emphasized that he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else. He acknowledged that even a filmography comprising 500 titles wouldn’t compare to the love and respect he has received for immortalizing the role of Lord Ram on screen.
“I had told Ramanand Sagar ji in the beginning itself that I only wanted to play the character of Lord Ram… When I was rejected, the role was offered to somebody else. But, I was brought back for the role…Even if I had done 500 films, the love and respect, which I get today, would be missing. Today, the respect that I get for immortalising the role of Lord Ram on screen is unparalleled,” shared Arun Govil.
As the country eagerly anticipates the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Arun Govil’s reflections on Lord Ram serve as a poignant reminder of the cultural and spiritual significance associated with the upcoming event.
