Why Disney rejected Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan: Lalit Modi reveals

Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan went on to become one of the most iconic television shows in Indian history, but the journey towards bringing the epic to the small screen may have included an unexpected setback. Businessman Lalit Modi has recalled how an attempt to secure Disney’s backing for the legendary series reportedly fell through after a meeting with the company’s senior executives.

According to Modi, the interaction was marked by differences in presentation styles, communication difficulties and uncertainty over whether an Indian mythological show could succeed on television. The anecdote offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by Indian content creators when pitching culturally rooted stories to international entertainment companies.

Disney rejected Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan after a meeting in shorts, claims Lalit Modi

Speaking on a podcast, Modi claimed that both Ramanand Sagar and filmmaker BR Chopra had approached him for financial support for their respective projects, Ramayan and Mahabharat. At the time, Modi was working on an arrangement involving Disney for marketing and distributing international content in India.

Modi said he was interested in getting Disney involved in producing Indian television content and proposed that the company collaborate with Sagar on Ramayan. However, Disney was reportedly reluctant to enter production, citing a potential conflict with its existing business of selling programming.

According to Modi, he continued pushing for the deal and attempted to convince the company to invest around ₹1 crore in exchange for the show's rights. After considerable persuasion, Disney executives reportedly agreed to meet Sagar in India.

Modi said the Disney delegation arrived with a large entourage, while Sagar walked into the meeting wearing shorts. He pointed out that corporate executives in those days generally wore formal suits, making the filmmaker’s casual appearance stand out.

Modi also claimed that communication proved difficult during the discussion. Sagar reportedly struggled to follow some of the executives’ English, while they found it difficult to understand his pitch. According to Modi, the executives expected a polished presentation and a structured business proposal, which the meeting did not deliver in the manner they anticipated.

He recalled that Disney’s president appeared eager to leave the room, suggesting that the meeting had failed to create the desired impression.

Modi also suggested that Disney executives struggled to recognise the commercial potential of Ramayan because mythology on such a scale was an unfamiliar proposition for Indian television at the time.

The setback did not stop Ramanand Sagar from bringing his vision to life. Ramayan premiered on Doordarshan in January 1987 and became a landmark in Indian television history. The series featured Arun Govil as Lord Ram, Deepika Chikhlia as Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman, while Arvind Trivedi portrayed Ravan.

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