Actor Sunil Lahiri, remembered for playing Lakshman in the iconic television series Ramayan, recently recalled a strange fan encounter that reminded him of his days shooting for the legendary show.
On Monday (March 30), the actor shared the anecdote in a video posted on his social media account. He first spoke about a recent incident at his residence where a man allegedly tried to meet him by pretending to be a relative. Lahiri said the situation immediately brought back memories from the time when Ramayan was being filmed.
Sharing the story, he said, "Jai Shri Ram. I would like to share a very interesting story with you all which reminded me of the days of Ramayan shooting. Recently, someone came to our building to meet me, pretending to be my relative. When our security checked, they found out that he was lying, so they sent him away."
The actor then went on to narrate a similar experience from the late 1980s while the show was being shot. According to Lahiri, he had taken a short break from filming after spending long hours shooting in the sun. During that time, his appearance looked different from his on-screen avatar.
Recalling the moment, he said, "One day, after we had been shooting in the sun for a long time, I had a 2-3 day break. I didn't have a beard, and I had oil in my hair. I was walking near the main gate of the studio when a gentleman came and said, 'Hello, I would like to meet Sunil Lahiri.' I asked him who he was, and he said, 'I am his brother. I am from Bhopal.'"
Lahiri said he found the situation both surprising and ironic, as the man failed to recognise him despite claiming to be his brother. He added, "It was amazing. He came to meet me but couldn't recognise me. He pretended to be my brother," he said.
Reflecting on the unusual incident, the actor concluded his story with a philosophical note, saying, "It is said that when your time is right, strangers become your relatives. Take care of yourself. Be happy, be healthy. Jai Shri Ram."
For those unaware, Ramayan, created by Ramanand Sagar, remains one of the most iconic television shows in Indian history. The series featured Arun Govil as Lord Ram, Sunil Lahiri as Lakshman, Arvind Trivedi as Ravan, Dara Singh as Hanuman, and Dipika Chikhlia as Sita.
Originally telecast on Doordarshan in 1987, the show ran for about a year and concluded in 1988. It became a cultural phenomenon at the time, with streets reportedly falling silent every Sunday as families gathered around television sets - still a rarity in many Indian households during that era.
Decades later, the show witnessed renewed popularity when it was re-telecast during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in India in 2020. The rerun ran for more than two months and once again attracted massive viewership across the country.
