Do you want to catch up on iconic mythological shows while you are stuck at home during the lockdown period? Well, you may soon be able to binge-watch shows like Ramayan and Mahabharat as Doordarshan is likely to bring back these mythological classics. Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar has said recently in a tweet that DD is deciding to work out a deal with the rights-holders of these serials to re-telecast the shows once again during the 21-days lockdown period due to COVID-19. Many on social media are requesting a return of these shows as these serials will help reduce the stress people are dealing with due to the lockdown, a step taken by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javedkar on Friday announced that Ramayana would be rebroadcasting on DD National from March 28, Saturday, on public demand. Two episodes of the iconic mythological serial of the 80s will be broadcast one in the morning from 9 am to 10 am and another in the evening from 9 pm to 10 pm.
Along with the mythological shows, people are also urging DD to bring back shows like Chandraprakash Dwivedi’s Chanakya, a hit show from the 90s, Shri Krishna, Bharat Ek Khoj. The requests also include other shows like Shriman Shrimati, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Malgudi Days, Nukkad, Jungle Book, Chandrakanta, and Fauji, starring Shah Rukh Khan. Repeat shows are the need of the hour for the broadcasters as shooting is on halt and not many channels have enough bank of new episodes to continue for a long time.
Television is witnessing a spike in consumption during the COVID-19 period and GECs, news (general entertainment channels) and movies are seeing the maximum increase. Plus, it is not during primetime alone when the consumption is high. Non-prime time periods are also seeing a significant rise in consumption both in urban and rural markets.
Ramanand Sagar directed Ramayana featured Arun Govil as Ram, Deepika Chikhalia as Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. The show also featured Late Dara Singh as Hanuman and Arvind Trivedi as Ravana. The show was originally telecast from 25 January 1987 to 31 July 1988. BR Chopra directed Mahabharat featured Gajendra Chauhan, Praveen Kumar, Arjun, Sameer Chitre and Sanjeev Chitre as the Pandavas, Roopa Ganguly playing the role of Draupadi, Nitish Bharadwaj as Krishna, Mukesh Khanna as Bhishma Pitamah and Punit Issar portrayed the role of Duryodhan. It was originally telecast from 2 October 1988 to 24 June 1990.
