As the buzz grows around Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming ₹4000-crore Ramayana starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi many fans are reminiscing about the original classic—Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan. Arun Govil as Ram Deepika Chikhalia as Sita and Sunil Lahri as the fiery loyal Laxman left a mark so deep it still feels unmatched. But did you know that Sunil Lahri was never the original choice for Laxman? He was supposed to play Shatrughan. How did Sunil Lahri end up as Laxman? In an interview with Laughing Colours Sunil Lahri revealed that during the auditions for the show he was initially selected for the role of Shatrughan. He shared I was selected for Shatrughan. However I also said that if I do it it will be the role of Laxman. I neither wanted to play Ram nor Shatrughan nor Bharat. But at that point the role of Laxman had already been given to actor Shashi Puri. Sunil recalls the moment that changed everything. One day while crossing the road after a shoot at Nagi Villa a car almost hit him and braked sharply. It turned out to be Ramanand Sagar himself. Sagar called him to the office later and said You wanted to play the role of Laxman so you do that role. I want you to do it. Sunil taken aback requested two days to think. What happened to the original Laxman? Sunil then called Shashi Puri who was originally cast as Laxman and had already shot several episodes. Shashi unsure about the show’s future told him You do this role because I’m leaving. This handover sealed the deal. Sunil accepted the offer and what followed was the most iconic role of his career. From a reluctant audition to nearly missing the part Sunil Lahri’s journey to becoming Laxman was pure serendipity. And while Ravi Dubey is all set to bring Laxman to life again in the 2025 version it’s safe to say Sunil Lahri’s Laxman still lives in every Indian household.