Shiv Sagar to bring multiverse concept with Kaakbhushundi Ramayan: 'It narrates stories from different timelines'

(From left) Pawan Sharma as Ram, Swayam Prakash as Rishi Vashisth, and Devanand Pathak as Raja Janank

Shiv Sagar intends to honour his grandfather Ramanand Sagar through Kaakbhushundi Ramayan. In the 1980s, his grandfather created Ramayan, which became a cultural phenomenon. To avoid comparisons, Shiv chose to tell Lord Ram's story differently. After producing Mahima Shani Devi Ki, serving as creative producer for Jai Jai Jai Bajrang Bali, and working on shows like Kahani Vikram Aur Vetal Ki and Jai Jag Janani Maa Durga, Shiv now hopes to uphold his family legacy with this Doordarshan show. In a conversation with mid-day, Shiv discusses the sources of the untold stories, the use of VFX and AI, and why he partnered with Doordarshan.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

Why is the show called Kaakbhushundi Ramayan?
There is an original text called Kaakbhushundi Ramayan, written centuries ago. Kaakbhushundi is a rishi or saint from ancient India who witnessed the Ramayan 14 times across eras and locations. He played with baby Ram in Ayodhya until the age of five. My grandfather's [Ramanand Sagar] Ramayan had a scene where a baby crow steals roti from Ram Lalla, making him cry. Kaakbhushundi doubts if Ram is truly Vishnu. Later, he faints, wakes up in Ram's lap, and sees the universe in Ram's mouth. This convinces him of Ram's divinity. It is said that Kaakbhushundi eavesdrops on Shiva narrating the story of Ram to Parvati, he then narrates it to the council of birds and that's how the Ramayan spread. In our story, Kaakbhushundi narrates the Ramayan to Garuda.

Raviz Thakur as Ravan and Sagaar Kale as Kaakbhushundi

What is the source of all the stories?
We studied over 350 versions of the Ramayan worldwide and handpicked stories that suit Indian audiences. We framed the narrative as Kaakbhushundi narrating to Garuda. Ram never declares himself as God, like Krishna; he always says, ‘I am Dashrathputra Ram'; a theme we explored. We delved into the backstories of characters. For example, Garuda initially doubts Ram's divinity, especially after witnessing Ram and Laxman struggle against Nagpash, a serpent noose unleashed by Ravan's son.

Inspiration came from my grandfather's Ramayan, incorporating elements from Tulsi Ramayan, Valmiki's version, Adhyatmik Ramayan, the Bengali Krittivasi Ramayan, and the Tamil Kamba Ramayan. Given the sensitivity of these epics, we ensured meticulous research. For instance, few know that Surpanakha's husband Vidyutjihva was killed by Ravan for marrying against his wishes. Surpanakha prays to Nikumbila Devi, who advises her to propose to Ram. Her actual intent is revenge on Ravan.

Shiv Sagar

How come these versions were never showcased on shows before?
There are many versions of the Ramayan, written by different authors, evolving with time and cultural settings, like the Kamba Ramayan in Tamil Nadu. With Kaakbhushundi, we've gone into a bit of a multiverse concept where in every timeline Lord Ram's story plays out [a bit differently].

Why did you pitch this story to Doordarshan?
We initially approached Star, but the merger slowed things down. The entertainment industry is also experiencing a slowdown, and TV viewership has declined. Doordarshan was developing a docu-series on tracing and documenting all the locations that Ram has been to in India, like Hampi. We had to go through all sorts of processes with the government to get the approval of the show. They agreed because they believed that we've got Ramayana in our legacy because of our grandfather.

Does the channel still have the same reach?
Doordarshan may lack visibility, but it's available on platforms like Tata Sky, Jio TV, and their newly launched app Waves. It's making significant efforts. Doordarshan has a huge legacy and so much nostalgia is attached to it.

Was it easy to get actors to work on board?
We faced some resistance, but the actors were convinced after seeing the production quality and our family's reputation. They understood that that change will happen gradually. Doordarshan is a sleeping giant, the day it wakes up, history will be made again.

Tell me more about the multiverse angle.
When Ram leaves Ayodhya as he is done with his avatar on Earth, he drops a ring into the Sarayu River. Hanuman retrieves it and finds thousands of similar rings from different eras. This inspired our multiverse concept. Kaakbhushundi transcends time, narrates stories from different timelines. We go non-linear, back and forth in different universes and narrate different stories of Ram. We are trying to link everything so that people have a more comprehensive vision of the Ramayan.

Doesn't this seem inspired by Marvel's Loki?
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Ancient Indian stories often align with modern quantum physics. Some of the stories have a lot of deeper esoteric and spiritual meanings that people are now discovering. I think the younger generation is intensely researching. You can carve your own beliefs. We are also rediscovering out roots with the use of AI now.

How have you incorporated music into this version of the Ramayan?
We've added folk elements from UP and Bihar. Surya Raj Kamal composed the music, continuing the legacy of his father, Raj Kamal, who scored for BR Chopra's Mahabharat. My father, Prem Sagar, also contributed significantly.

Did you feel pressure to uphold your grandfather's legacy?
Yes. His Ramayan is an epic and cannot be recreated. He was a master filmmaker and prolific writer. He made Ramayan when he was 70 after making more than 50 movies with big stars. We went in a different direction or else, people would draw comparisons. And we didn't want that comparison because we know we'd fall short. He concentrated more on the essence and soul of the show. It may have looked tacky [back then] but it was always high on emotions. We preserved its soul while enhancing it with VFX and AI.

What did you have to be careful about?
My father was our moral compass, ensuring authenticity. We had a team of in-house researchers and a research committee from Doordarshan, a lot of saints from Ayodhya were also part of it. Then we have scholars from Delhi and all over the country. Many times we found objectionable content which we flagged off at the writing stage itself. For example, in the first episode, we had Ram and Laxman running up a [giant-sized] Hanuman's arms as warriors. Someone then said Ram cannot run like how Laxman does things. So, we got Hanuman to take Ram on the palm of his hand and placed him on his shoulder. There were many things like that.

How have you used AI in the show?
We created an AI version of my grandfather using his old photos and his voice. The machine actually learned his voice and then started imitating it. This tribute felt like receiving his blessings.