Ramayan Article Corner.

This thread will contain all the articles/interviews related to Ramayan.

So please Don't post any comments out here it would be deleted.

Regards,

IF Team Edited by akhl - 15 years ago

Site: http://media247.co.uk/bizasia/newsarchive/2008/01/ndtv_imagine_to.php

Tittle: NDTV Imagine to recreate 'Ramayan' magic

'Ramayan' launches on NDTVIndia's new channel NDTV Imagine has roped in original producers Sagar Arts to remake the mythological drama 'Ramayan' in a new avatar.

The entire production is being executed at Sagar Film City in Baroda where grand sets have been erected to depict key areas in the kingdom of Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Ram. This new version has the advantage of being produced in times of huge technical advancements which will greatly enhance the story telling in a compelling new way.

Announcing the launch of the show, Mr. Sameer Nair, CEO, NDTV Imagine said, "Ramayan is a tale for every generation. It is multi-layered, multi-faceted, multi-dimensional... and this brand new daily version of the timeless classic has been interpreted to cater to the taste of a shining, modern India. Television is all about great stories well told, and for us, Ramayan is India's greatest story ever and we hope to re-tell it in a compelling, entertaining manner."

The characters in Ramayan will be essayed by a new generation of actors – Gurmeet Choudhary will play the lead of Lord Ram, while Debina Bonnerjee plays Sita. The 3 key characters - Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan will be played by Ankit Arora, Vije Bhatia and Lalit Negi respectively.

Commenting on the show announcement, Mr. Prem Sagar said, "Ramayan like river Ganga is sacred, timeless and unmeasureable. A dip in the values of idealism and sacrifice embodied in Ramayan is like a bath in the Ganga that purifies your thought, speech and action and washes away all evil gathered as time has moved life. Twenty years ago, our revered father Dr. Ramanand Sagar created a revolution through a blockbuster show. Now, we the second and third generation hopes to recreate the same magic".

Adds Mr. Nair, "Ramayan has a huge connect with audiences across the country and has all the elements that will deliver on our promise to entertain and delight. The Sagar's are powerful storytellers and the final word in creating mythological epics for television and we believe that our partnership has the potential to make Ramayan a show that the whole family will watch together every evening."

NDTV Imagine will hit TV screens in India on Monday 21st January. It will offer programming across genres, ranging from light-hearted family soaps to period dramas and from high voltage music and dance entertainers to the most glamorous events in the entertainment business.

NDTV Imagine is looking at launching in the UK later this year. Edited by nilapatel12 - 16 years ago

Site: http://www.bollywoodblog.com/category/TV/NDTV-Imagine-unveil s-its-Ramayan-sets-Mumbai/

Tittle: NDTV Imagine unveils it's 'Ramayan' sets, Mumbai.
      Posted: Jan 15th 2008 by Ruhi Tandon


NDTV Imagine is all set to presents 'Ramayan', a brand new series based on Valmiki's Ramayan and Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas. After a period of 20 years, this age old classic will be retold with grand sets and a new star cast and lilting music.

The production of Ramayan is being executed at Sagar Film City in Baroda where majestic sets have been erected to depict the city of Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Ram. The kingdom was 12 kilometers in area and this grandeur has been replicated for the show. Extravagant sets have been designed by art director, Omung Kumar and his team, after undertaking research for over nine months and the labor of around 800 workers. The design team has also referred to the Ramcharitmanas where Ayodhya has been described in detail, to create an upscale and sophisticated look.

The sets personify royalty and regality with a very subdued look and feel. The exteriors of the kingdom have a sandstone-like feel with palaces supported with elaborate pillars and structures. Each and every pillar, statue, room, throne and wall is intricately designed and detailed just like the way the temples and constructions of that era. The upholstery, carpets and curtains are artistically hand painted with zardozi work. The highlight of the sets is the grand-chariot set atop the main palace with a huge sun riding on it.

The interiors are subdued and mellow which give each room an airy and bright look. The Banyan tree bedroom, the Lotus room, the King's chamber- all of them have designs which have never been seen before on a television show. The chariots, bows and the kawach have all been specially designed to suit the characters.

Watch out for India's greatest epic, 'Ramayan' starting January 21st every Monday to Thursday at 9:30 pm on NDTV Imagine. Edited by nilapatel12 - 16 years ago

http://www.india-forums.com/tellybuzz/article.asp?id=1725 
Title:
A Priceless Moment, as little Ram walks for the first time..

NDTV Imagine's Ramayan has a high in its very secnod episode, as the little Ram takes his first step...

India's greatest epic is back on your television sets. For the first time ever, viewers will get a glimpse of Lord Ram's childhood on this new series of Ramayan only on NDTV Imagine from Monday to Thursday at 9:30 pm.
According to reports from Baroda, where the production of this epic masterpiece is being executed, the toddler playing the character of Ram is quite a star! The shoot was stalled for almost 3 days because the makers of the show, Sagar's, wanted to actually capture the first walk of little Ram! They waited in anticipation for three whole days and finally got the perfect shot, when he walked for the first time not just on reel life but in real life too!

So don't miss this heart warming episode of Ramayan on Wednesday at 9:30 pm, on NDTV IMAGINE!

Edited by Devia - 16 years ago

THUMBS DOWN FOR RAMAYAN

http://www.india-forums.com/tellybuzz/article.asp?id=1770

Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down - 21st - 25th Jan

Thumbs Up

Banoo Main Teri Dulhann: Dulhann viewers were filled with treats this last week, as Sagar confesses and realises his true love for Vidya, and wants to go to Benares to find her. The picturisation of "Tumse Hi" with Mahi-Shabd, Priyam-Kangna, and Nahar-Saloni pushing Sagar along the right path was also one of Dulhann's best scenes till date. The storyline is moving, and yes, nobody can keep Sagar and Vidya apart for too long... we can't wait until they have their reunion, hopefully next week!

Dharam-Veer: The audiences missed Rajat Tokas in action for a while and were praying that he comes back very soon on tellydom, and the actor didn't disappoint as he is back with this new show. A show which talks about friendship and brotherhood giving prominence to its pre-historic saga, it's jam-packed with some action sequences along with some good performancesas well! Plus the famous pair of Prithviraj Chauhan is back with this show…now the question is - Will it be able to keep the same intact? Let's wait and watch!

Teen Bahuraniyaan: Finally, Nisha's truth is exposed, and best of all, Sameer exposes it in front of everyone! All the Sameer-Janki fans have time to rejoice now, as the loving couple is back together. Times are getting better for the teen bahuraniyaan... they are standing up to their saasumas, but one mystery still awaits - who is the killer of Vrinda's children? We hope it's not Sameer... we'll have to wait and see what happens!

Say Shava Shava: This 11-day musical reality show is gripping the audiences everyday with the performances from the contestants - and the judges, Mr. "K" Karan Johar and Simi, are just as great in the show as well! Besides already showing us their acting talent, these 8 actors have to prove their singing abilities as well - although we witnessed the three sad eliminations of Manish Goel, Aman Verma, and Juhi Parmar, we can expect to see a lot more in this short but fun-filled show - and we are waiting for the upcoming performances!

Raja ki Aayegi Baarat: This serial has got a good start. The show has a good ensemble cast and everyone is acting really well. It is refreshing to see a story of simple people being told so nicely, and in an innovative manner as well. We can hope that the serial will take a great story ahead and won't disappoint us!

Thumbs Down

Ramayan: Sadly the show which emptied the streets few years back, doesn't seem to find its place for today's generation. The show has marvelous sets, and an effort from the creatives is also worth applause but still the show won't catch the nerves of today's generation as it has really nothing new to offer as a face value. A little disappointing show from the makers who themselves created history some time back!

Kasturi: This show now at least has come to a saturation point. The Revenge track is over, and also the show took a year leap & we see Kasturi still believing that Robbie is Raunak's killer. Here the audiences want to see Robbie-Kasturi union and once again we are disappointed over the same reasons. How long with the creatives thirst the audiences' expectations like this? It's high time... please do something!

Santaan: The story lost its charm from the past weeks. What started as a struggle for Parikshit-Gayatri is now turning to be a sore one!! The changing hair line of Gayatri and the constant ups and down of her children is lessening the interest. To prevent losing the essence of the show, we're definitely going to need some kind of new twist - but when will this happen? We'll have to wait and watch... for now, please move the storyline faster!


Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: Surprisingly, TRPs call this show as "No.1"... But really, there's not much anything new to offer - this past week saw Karan-Nandini's engagement but what could not be understood is if you are so poor and are struggling to survive then how could you even think of this ceremony? If this question is answered, we've still got loads more... but aren't we tired of seeing chawl tracks which keeps on repeating somewhere or the other?

Baabul Ka Aangan Chootey Naa: Unfortunately, although this show just started last week, the beginning has not been very promising. We have happiness in one episode and then sadness in the next ones?? It doesn't seem like Aastha's character is bold either, and it turns out that her brother Vinay doesn't care much about the family either... Let's hope that next week, Aastha's love interest and our 'hero' enter the story and add to something here!

Authors: Resham, Ammu


Note: The views expressed are solely of the author. For any information, please contact the author.

Edited by Devia - 16 years ago

Its content may not be as imaginative as the NDTV Imagine bosses had promised, but the channel certainly seems to have the got thumbs up from viewers in the first week of its launch.  The channel which threw open its prime time band with four hours of programming from January 21, has notched up an impressive 55 GRPs (group rating points) and 1.7 per cent channel share in the first week. In fact, it has outperformed all GE channel launches in the last four years. What's more, according to TAM date for week 4 of 2008, NDTV Imagine ranked third in weekday prime time – Monday to Thursday – in the general entertainment space. Ramayan has proved to be NDTV Imagine's trump card. The great mythological epic has delivered good numbers from the markets which matter most for any GE channel — the Hindi heartland. The first episode of Ramayan rated 1.8 TVR. In the key Hindi speaking markets of UP and MP (10 million-plus towns) the show averaged more than 5 TVR. Other shows like Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan' and period drama Dharam Veer have also delivered decent numbers. Says Shailja Kejriwal, creative and programming head of NDTV Imagine, "These are very good numbers and we are delighted with the response for our shows."." In this overcrowded general entertainment space, content alone is not enough to drive eyeballs. Good marketing strategies and strong distribution contribute a lot too. www.deccan.com

Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee who are essaying the roles of Ram and Sita respectively in Ramayan have not only got married in reel life but if sources are to be believed, they have even tied the knot in real life too but are not ready to talk about it yet. "Yes both Gurmeet and Debina are married but prefer to remain tightlipped on the subject. They believe that the audience's perception towards them would change if their marriage is disclosed," explain sources close to the couple. However, Gurmeet clarifies, "Why would one hide his or her marriage with someone? There have been many actors and actresses working together on-screen even after getting married. These are nothing but plain rumours." Debina who plays Sita, was unavailable for comments. While the earlier Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan had proved to be a blockbuster on television, one wonders if this is a publicity stunt to make the epic more popular among the audience and get more TRPs. www.deccan.com

Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee who are essaying the roles of Ram and Sita respectively in Ramayan have not only got married in reel life but if sources are to be believed, they have even tied the knot in real life too but are not ready to talk about it yet. "Yes both Gurmeet and Debina are married but prefer to remain tightlipped on the subject. They believe that the audience's perception towards them would change if their marriage is disclosed," explain sources close to the couple. However, Gurmeet clarifies, "Why would one hide his or her marriage with someone? There have been many actors and actresses working together on-screen even after getting married. These are nothing but plain rumours." Debina who plays Sita, was unavailable for comments. While the earlier Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan had proved to be a blockbuster on television, one wonders if this is a publicity stunt to make the epic more popular among the audience and get more TRPs. www.deccan.com

The beginning of an epic journey that is a significant and poignant chapter in the Ramayan. Lord Ram's fourteen year Vanvaas begins on Ramayan on NDTV Imagine.

The fourteen year exile of Lord Ram from the Kingdom of Ayodhya is filled with a variety of significant incidents and situations. Each incident is a part of Lord Ram's destiny, allowing him to fulfill his promise of freeing the world of evil forces. The Vanvaas is preordained by Maha Vishnu to create a situation for his human avtaar, Lord Ram to move out of the palace and wander in the jungles to slay the numerous demons and demonesses who lived there.

On the instigation of her maid Manthara, Queen Kaikeyi puts forth a demand to Raja Dashrath that Ram should be sent to the forests to spend fourteen years in exile. King Dashrath is forced to honour a commitment he had made to Kaikeyi many years ago when she had saved his life in a war.

Raja Dashrath sorrowfully asks his beloved son Lord Ram to go on a Vanvaas of fourteen years. The loyal and obedient son agrees to leave the comfort of the palace for a long stay in the jungles. His brother Lakshman and his new bride Sita adamantly plead to be with him and he lets them accompany him. He bears no grudge against Kaikeyi who has loved him more than his mother.

Every step of Lord Ram's journey during his Vanvaas has a momentous impact. Lord Vishnu's purpose of coming to Earth as Ram is fulfilled at the end of his Vanvaas when he kills Ravan, the demon king of Lanka.

Catch the special episodes starting Monday, April 7th and Tuesday, April 8th on Ramayan at 9:30 pm only on NDTV Imagine.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/Edited by samira-d - 16 years ago

Playing god

On-screen, Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina Bonnerjee are decked in jewelled attire, complete with bedazzling crowns et al.

But that is what their respective characters — that of the legendary Ram and his loyal wife Sita — of the famous Indian mythological story Ramayana, demand. But off-screen too, these two Southern stars who are now looking to make a mark in tellywood, truly believe in the strength of their characters, and of the serial Ramayana (on NDTV Imagine) itself. Over to the on-screen husband-wife duo...

Do you think a mythological serial will work in the day and age of saas-bahu soaps and reality shows? Especially a done-to-death tale like the Ramayana?
Gurmeet: The Ramayana is a story which can be told and re-told and can still be grasping. Yes, even today, the Ramayana is still a hit. In fact, I think today's audience have a greater need for serials like this, because the generation of today is more insecure; they need the constant reassurance of God. For those who believe in God, the Ramayana can never become a stale story.

Debina: The fact that the story has been told time and again over the years, by different writers and directors, implies that it is a success. And despite saas-bahu soap operas and reality shows, there are a number of mythological shows on the small-screen today. That means there must be an audience that supports them.

Arun Govil, the original Ram, was typecast in this role. Aren't you afraid of getting stuck in the Ram/ Sita image?
Gurmeet: I was apprehensive at first, but that's not the case today. Then, there was limited choice of roles and characters, so it was difficult to get out of one's mould. But today, the choices and serials are endless. TV actors are getting film offers too now.

Debina: Any popular character that gets into the heart of people becomes a personal favourite, and people start identifying you with that character. But I wouldn't call it typecasting. At the end of the day, it depends on how the actor handles his roles, an actor has to convincingly change his on-screen image.

If offered a saas-bahu serial now, would you take it up?
Gurmeet: I'm not really interested in regular saas-bahu kind of roles. I wanted to do something different, but something that was hatke. Like playing Ram. That's the way people notice you as a good actor.

Debina: Honestly, when I came to Mumbai, I wasn't keen on doing television. I was on the look out for a change in work, I wanted to do something completely different. And Ramayana was different, playing Sita was not a commonplace role. Right now, I'm putting my heart and soul into Sita, I'm not even giving other serials a thought. But let's see what happens in the future.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/TV_Buzz/P laying_god/articleshow/2959298.cms