Will SKR be your first mythological show or have your watched others before? Mythological shows and researching on the various puranas of our culture are my passion, so I have nearly watched all the mythological shows ever made, except a few. My favorite ones are the two Ramayan shows by Sagar Arts (1986 one and 2008 one), especially the 2008 one by NDTV Imagine. I also watched Zee Tv's Ramayan in 2012 but never liked it much. I watched Star Plus' Mahabharat last year and though its story was distorted in ways that made me go crazy at times, I did like the actors a lot. My favorite Krishna-based show is the Shri Krishna serial made by Ramanand Sagar in the 90s.
How much do you know of Ramayan going into this show? I wouldn't say I'm an expert by any means, but I do know a lot about it due to my research into various versions, and I do know the difference between showing stories from another version besides Valmiki, and showing utter fiction. So no director can get past me by showing fiction in the name of "other versions". 😉😆
What is one thing about Ram and/or Sita that you want to see in this show? I want to see their love for each other in its purest form, and I also want to see the dignity and grace of their characters. Often in mytho shows of the 21st century, the dignity of Godly characters is totally lost and they seem like any modern girl or guy you meet today. Just to help modern viewers relate to Godly characters, directors should not change the characters and make them more modern, because guess what? The Gods were not like that, and by showing such wrong details, modern viewers get the wrong impression. It is what happened with Star Plus' Mahabharat, and I do not want to see it happen with Ramayan. I have nothing against seeing an intelligent and wise Sita, because the real Sita Ma was intelligent and wise, but I would hate seeing her as this radical feminist who's outspoken and impertinent, because Sitaji was never like that. There is strength in silence too, and Sita Ma is known for her silent resilience. That is what I want to see in this Ramayan.
What do you wish to see from Ashish and Madirakshi so they do full justice to their characters as Ram and Sita? They should have respect for the characters they are playing, and if they truly do, then everything else will come naturally.
What are some of your favorite mythological shows that you've seen in the past? Anand Sagar's Ramayan from 2008-2009 is my most favorite and will always remain close to my heart, but I also love 1986 Ramayan by Ramanand Sagar and his Shri Krishna serial in the 90s. I like other shows, but none have become my favorite. The only modern mythological show to become my favorite is Anand Sagar's Ramayan on NDTV Imagine.
Last but not least, what do you want to see in this show, that has not been covered in any other adaptation of Ramayan before? Even though I came up with this question, it's pretty difficult to answer it, LOL, because other television adaptations of Ramayan pretty much covered everything, but in this show, I do wish to see more stories from Valmiki Ramayan that haven't been covered, especially in Yuddha Kand. Since this show is being made on a grand scale, they should show the war between Ram and Ravan very detailed, and touch upon all or at least most of the battles. It would be interesting to watch and learn about.