Lalit Modi: Disney passed on Ramayan after shorts pitch

One of Indian television’s most loved shows almost had a very different origin story. Lalit Modi has claimed that Disney was once in talks to co-produce Ramayan, but the deal collapsed after Ramanand Sagar walked into the meeting in shorts and struggled to connect with the visiting executives.

The account, shared on The Bharat Inc podcast, frames the rejection as a moment when global studio bosses missed what would become appointment viewing across India.

What Lalit Modi says happened

Modi, who says he was working with Disney on marketing, distribution and syndication of international content for Indian television, recalled that producing for Doordarshan worked differently at the time. The broadcaster did not fund shows; makers paid a fixed hourly cost and had to arrange their own financing.

According to him, Ramanand Sagar and BR Chopra both approached him for money for Ramayan and Mahabharat. He was keen and wanted Disney to enter production as a co-producer. The company worried that making its own programming would clash with its distribution business, but he kept pushing.

Sagar sought Rs 1 crore for the rights, Modi said. Disney eventually sent a senior team to India.

The meeting that went sideways

Modi described a cultural mismatch. Disney executives arrived with a large team and private jets. Sagar arrived dressed for comfort, in shorts, at a time when suits were the boardroom norm. He had limited comfort with English, so neither side fully understood the other.

“Ramanand Sagar walked into that meeting in shorts,” Modi said, adding that there was no slick presentation of the kind the executives expected, and he could see the Disney president wanted to leave.

Because mythology had not been produced on Indian television at that scale before, he believes the Disney side could not see the concept’s potential. As a partner, he had limited room to overturn the rejection.

The show that proved them wrong

Whatever happened in that room, Ramayan found its audience on Doordarshan. It first aired in 1987 and ran for 78 episodes until 1988, turning Sunday mornings into a family ritual.

• Ramanand Sagar created, wrote and directed the series based on the ancient epic.
• Arun Govil played Lord Ram, Deepika Chikhlia played Sita, Sunil Lahri was Lakshman and Arvind Trivedi played Ravan.
• Govil’s portrayal became so identified with the role that viewers associated him with the deity.

The series established mythological storytelling as a major genre and remains one of India’s most iconic titles.

Why the story still matters

The anecdote is a reminder of how many Indian television milestones were built outside the international studio system, often on instinct and regional storytelling. It also adds a human detail to the Ramayan legend: a creator who may not have matched a corporate pitch culture, but whose show went on to shape Indian television far more than a polished deck ever could.

Source: The Times of India