EXCLUSIVE: Ramanand Sagar’s grandson Shiv Sagar shares FASCINATING trivia: “Vikram Aur Betaal cost Rs. 1 lakh per episode; it was shot and edited in our garage as we COULDN’T afford elaborate sets”
Four years ago, Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Vikram Vedha (2022) was released to considerable critical acclaim. The film drew inspiration from the ancient Indian folktale of Vikram and Betaal, which generations of viewers were already familiar with through the iconic television series Vikram Aur Betaal. The show was produced by Ramanand Sagar before he went on to create his most iconic television epic, Ramayan. His son, Prem Sagar, directed and co-produced Vikram Aur Betaal. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Shiv Sagar, Ramanand Sagar’s grandson and Prem Sagar’s son, shared fascinating trivia about the making of the series. Shiv Sagar said, “My father made Vikram Aur Betaal, which was a precursor to Ramayan. It also featured several of the same actors. Arun Govil ji, who later played Rama in Ramayan, essayed the role of Vikramaditya, while Arvind Trivedi played the tantric before portraying Ravana. Vikram Aur Betaal served as a kind of test marketing. We wa...