'Ramayan' to be back on small screen

With a fresh version of 'Ramayan', the channel hopes to "foster the concept of the whole family engaging in a joint TV viewing experience and to reach out to an entire generation of youngsters who have unfortunately not had the privilege of growing up watching it," Sukesh Motwani, head of fiction programming, Zee TV, said in a statement.

The channel has roped in Moti Sagar of the famed Sagar Arts to re-create the epic drama. The original small screen version, produced and directed by Moti's father Ramanand Sagar, was a hit in the 1980s.

Another version of it was created for Imagine TV with actor Gurmeet Choudhry playing Ram, in 2008. That was produced by Sagar Arts too, and no wonder the same production company has been chosen to create the latest version.

"We have roped in the only team in India truly equipped for the task. If anyone can make the magic of 'Ramayan' come alive, it is the Sagars. Ramanand-ji (Sagar) did it brilliantly once, and Moti-Ji and Minakshi, who have inherited 'Ramayan' as a part of their core DNA, are all set to re-create the classic," Motwani added.

The cast of the new 'Ramayan' has not yet been frozen. But prominent actors are being considered for the key roles of Ram and Sita.

Actors Aditya Redij, Avinash Sachdev and Amir Dalvi have been approached to play Ram, and among the females Sanjeeda Sheikh, Suhasi Dhami and Rubina Dilaik have been auditioned for Sita's part.