Ramayan
1987
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- action & adventure
- family
The story
Ramayan is a highly successful and phenomenally popular Indian epic television series created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The 78 episode series originally aired weekly on Doordarshan from 25 January 1987, to 31 July 1988, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. IST. It is a television adaptation of the ancient Indian Hindu religious epic of the same name and is primarily based on Valmiki's Ramayan and Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas. It is also partly derived from portions of Kamban's Ramavataram and other works.
What it’s like
Warm, theatrical studio sets lit like devotional paintings: saturated saffron, deep red and gold costumes against painted skies and painted forests, with a soft haze softening every frame. The camera mostly sits still at a respectful distance, favouring wide, centred compositions of courtyards, palaces and hermitage groves, with slow zooms reserved for moments of revelation. The sound is a rich blend of orchestral swells, bansuri flute and sitar, and the sung devotional verses that give the series its unhurried rhythm. Episodes move at a stately, sermon-like pace, with long dialogue exchanges, ritual scenes and recurring song sequences rather than quick cuts. The vibe is reverent, earnest and warmly nostalgic, suited to a Sunday morning with family, a devotional evening, or a slow comfort rewatch. Its emotional register centres on duty, loyalty and devotion, following a principled prince whose steadfastness is tested through exile and loss. Intensity is moderate: battles appear with stylised swordplay, bows and mythic creatures, bloodless and stylised, while grief and separation are played out tearfully rather than graphically. It suits viewers who want patient, morally grounded storytelling and an immersive, old-fashioned epic feel.
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