Should Ramayan Actors Receive Royalty? Arun Govil, Dipika and the Sagars  React

Ramanand Sagar’s  Ramayan when it was  first telecast  fetched no  substantial  monetary rewards  for  the actors.  In  fact one  of the actors on  the show confidentially  divulged that  the actors were paid   “a pittance” for their  participation in  the  year-long series .

Now when the series has acquired renewed fame  some kind  of remunerative  compensation seems  legitimate  to  actors who gave  a  year of their life to  Ramayan.

Says Dipika Chikhlia who played Sita, “I think we  should  get royalty.We had  no money when we shot(the serial).But  also now(we haven’t  been given any monetary compensation).

Arun  Govil who played Rama agrees with Ms Chikhlia. “There was little money back then.Now when the  series has  had a hugely successful re-run some royalty seems  right.  Yes, why not?”

Moti Sagar,  the son of  the Ramayan  producer-director Ramanand  Sagar says, “I think this issue should be addressed to Doordarshan who  hold the  telecast rights  of  our serial.We(the Sagar  production house) paid what we had  to when  the serial was  made. Now it is up to Doordarshan  to look into this matter. If the artistes are saying they should get royalty, then they must have reason to  feel that way. How can I say anything  about it?”

The Sagars  are pleased with the  attention that Ramayan has got.

Says Moti Sagar, “After Ramayan, Doordarshan  is showing our Shri Krishna.It gives us Sagars  great pleasure that the  young generations  of our country are being familiarized with our religion and heritage through  our serials. And now  because of  the  popularity and success  of  Ramayan, our war film 1971 , directed by  my son Amrit Sagar and released  in 2007, which  we downloaded  on our youtube channel  has  got an unprecedented  viewership,” says  Moti Sagar.Maybe the actors of  1971  should start seeking compensation too .