Arun Govil's career came to 'standstill' after 'Ramayan'

Actor Arun Govil, known for playing Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's hit TV serial of the eighties, "Ramayan", says his career came to a standstill after that show because producers didnt want to cast him in any other role.

"I had started my career as a Hindi film hero and post 'Ramayan', when I wanted to return to Bollywood, producers said, 'Your image as Ram is so strong we cannot cast you as anyone else or give you a supporting role'," he told The Times of India.

"They felt that I was not suited for commercial movies anymore. That became the biggest minus point of my career, and I realised that I could never return to showbiz the way I wanted to. I took up a few TV shows, but every time I did something, people rejected me saying, 'Arre, Ramji kya kar rahe hain'."

He was left disappointed.

"On one hand, a single show had earned me immense love and admiration, but on the other, my career came to a standstill. I worked for a few more years before putting a full stop to my career in showbiz. For the last 14 years, I have not done anything, except maybe make a few special appearances," he said.

He hasn't given up on acting completely though. "I will do something only if it is good," he said.

Going down memory lane, he said: "I remember, after the audition for 'Ramayan', I had requested Sagar sir for Ram's role, but they had already chosen someone else. They asked me if I was ready to play Lakshman or Bharat, but I declined. Then suddenly, one day, they told me that I was playing Ram. If you are sure about yourself and what you want, you will succeed."

( With inputs from IANS )