Arun Govil recalls being rejected for Lord Ram before he got a featured role in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan; He opens up about playing King Dasharath in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana

Veteran actor Arun Govil revisited the role that changed his life while attending the grand Ramayana: Pratham Sankalp event at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday. The actor, who became a household name after playing the role of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar’s popular TV serial, shared memories of how he was initially rejected for the role before eventually being selected.This event marks the beginning of the promotional campaign for

Nitish Tiwari

Ramayana, which stars

Ranbir Kapoor

Like Lord Ram and

Sai Pallavi

Like Sita. Govil is also a part of the film, but this time he plays the role of King Dasharath, Lord Ram’s father.

Arun Govil says he was rejected for Lord Ram

Speaking at the event, Govil spoke about how deeply the name ‘Ram’ is woven into daily life in India.“Ram may be a very small word, but it is woven into our lives. Whatever stage of life we ​​go through and whatever feelings we express, the word finds its way into it.

We say “Hi Ram”, “Aarey Ram”, “Ram Ram” and even “Ram Dohai”. “Everything around us is full of rum,” he said.The actor then shared the story of how he got the role that defined his career.Govil recalls that after learning that Ramanand Sagar was making Ramayan, he approached the director and expressed his desire to play the role of Lord Ram.“I approached him without thinking about anything else and told him that I wanted to play the role of Shri Ram.

He tested me and completely rejected me,” Jovel revealed.The producers later asked if he would be willing to play another character, including Bharath or Lakshman, but Govil refused.“I told them that if they didn’t consider me qualified, they could let me go. I didn’t want another role,” he said.A few months later, he received an unexpected phone call informing him that the selection committee had changed its decision.Recalling that moment, Govil said he was told: “We will never find a ram like you.”Looking back on his past experience, he added, “I was fortunate that Ram chose me.”

“There are many versions of the Ramayana, but its values ​​remain the same.”

Govil also spoke about the enduring legacy of the Ramayana, saying that although there are believed to be nearly 300 versions of the epic, its moral foundation remains unchanged.“The point of view can differ according to the narrative, but it cannot differ from the spirit of the Ramayana.

Each version ultimately talks about Ram and the nature of Ram. He said the value system remains the same.He added that although each adaptation may have its own cinematic language, the essence of the saga must always remain intact.

Arun Govil plays the role of King Dasharath in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana

Speaking about joining Nitesh Tiwari’s film, Govil said that returning to the world of Ramayana in the role of King Dasharath was an emotional experience.“Ram’s world has always been good to me, and it still is. But this time, I was playing a different character,” he said.The actor revealed that while filming Dasharath, he often found himself thinking about his performance as Lord Ram nearly four decades ago.“Whenever I was on the sets, whether Ram was standing in front of me or not, I could still see myself in front of me,” he said.

Arun Govil praises Nitish Tiwari and Namit Malhotra

Govil also praised director Nitesh Tiwari, calling him a calm director whose composure affected the entire unit.“He says very little,” Jovel said. “He conveys everything quietly through his silence.”Recalling the atmosphere on set, he added that unlike most big productions, there was very little chaos during filming.“Maybe it was because we were making the Ramayana. Everyone, whether an actor or a technician, had the same feeling. We shared pride in the story and the truth,” he said.The veteran actor also congratulated producer Namit Malhotra, praising his journey from running a humble office to producing one of the biggest films in Indian cinema.

He also praised the work of DNEG, saying its visual effects have helped Indian talent gain global recognition.Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. The two-part saga is scheduled to be released during Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027, while its first official trailer will premiere worldwide on July 24.