Ever since Nitesh Tiwaris Ramayana has been announced one question has been floating in the minds of the audience - Will anyone be able to truly match the magic of Ramanand Sagar’s epic portrayal? Over the years a lot of filmmakers and producers have tried to recreate the Ramayana in their way. However none of them were able to create the same magic emotional depth or impact that Ramanand Sagar delivered. His series was aired in 1987 but it became a cultural phenomenon that remains untouched even today. From the emotional connection spiritual depth to the impeccable performances of the actor who did many sacrifices to bring their characters to life Sagars Ramayana has a separate fan base even today. Now the question is whether the modern-day actors Ranbir Kapoor Sai Pallavi and Sunny Deol who have stepped into the shoes of these legendary actors create the same stir and sensation that Sagar Ramayana had? Will the modern-day technology VFX and bid budget replace pure devotion sacrifices and soulful performances? Will Nitesh Tiwaris Ramayana match the devotion of Ramanand Sagars Ramayana? Arun Gill who portrayed the role of Lord Ram worked hard on himself to stay authentic to his role. Instead of just thinking about physical transformation he focused on his dialogue delivery emotions and expressions to stay true to his character. He never went to the gym or trained himself but his discipline made his character unforgettable. He also once revealed that he never watched any portrayals of Lord Raw; rather he just studied a few of his pictures and prepared the character based on his imagination. His dedication gave results. People began worshipping him offering garlands through their TV screens. His serene smile which even filmmaker Rajkumar Barjatya praised became iconic. Another actor Deepika Chikhalia who played the role of Lord Sita was only 15 when she portrayed that character. Deepikas dedication towards her character was such that she remained in that character even off-screen. He stayed away from nail polish modern outfits and mostly donned only a saree to maintain the purity of Sitas image. Her dedication was commendable and not easy. Dara Singh who played Hanuman also went through some sacrifices and extreme physical discomfort. Dara Singhs makeup for Lord Hanumans role used to take around 3 to 4 hours. He used to stay calm and patient throughout. And he had to stay hungry for 8–9 hours while wearing a difficult oak-moulded mask. His tail costume was also not easy to wear; it was uncomfortable and painful while sitting. A custom stool had to be made for him to accommodate his tail. Despite shoulder and knee pain he took on the role after initial reluctance. He even gave up eating 24 eggs a day which was once part of his diet. Arvind Trividi who played the role of Ravan also did some extreme work on himself. To align spiritually with the role he learnt tantric chants and Shiva stutis. Instead of relying on VFX like todays actors his dialogue delivery and authenticity towards his character were enough to evoke a sense of fear and fascination amongst the audience. In todays time with modern technology massive budgets and special effects the dedication and sacrifices that once actors made cannot match those of the new age actors. As per reports Ranbir Kapoor who will play Ram in Tiwari’s film has reportedly given up non-veg and smoking but will it be enough? Only time will tell