TV's first Lord Ram, Arun Govil set to make a comeback

Remember Arun Govil, the actor who played the first ever Lord Ram on television?

The veteran actor, who rose to fame with the epic teleserial Ramayan in the early 1990s, is coming back on the small screen with the daily programme Dharti Ki Goad Mein.

According to reports, Govil, 57, enters the show in the last week of August when his character is introduced after a few episodes.

"Makers of the programme approached me and insisted me to play a small role of guide, as they felt that I can be well connected to the audience," the actor said.

"After consideration, I accepted the role and few episodes have also been shot," he said.

Govil, who has been associated with some social work in the guidance of Brahmarshi Shri Kumar Swami in Delhi, feels that there is a lot to be done on sensitising people living in villages.

"I am playing the role of Dada, which means elder brother

and grandfather too... though my age is that of a grandfather. People in distress or who need guidance approach me and I advise them what to do and not to do to overcome their problems," he said.

When asked whether this too would be a mythological character who troubleshoots problems of people in distress, he said, "I am neither playing a troubleshooter nor a mythological role, I am playing a role of common and compassionate person advising people."

Currently, the serial is being aired at 2 pm from Monday to Friday for half an hour.

Born in Meerut, Govil has been a producer-director and has acted in various Hindi, Bhojpuri, Braj Bhasha, Oriya and Telugu movies.

Photograph: Abhijit Mhamunkar