We were wondering how we’ll spend our first weekend in lockdown when Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar put all our viewing woes to rest. According to Business Today, he announced that Ramanand Sagar directed ‘Ramayan’ which first aired in 1987 will be retelecasted on Doordarshan National starting today.
IN FEW MINUTES –
REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES with #Doordarshan!!
A treat for the viewers as @DDNational to start airing the Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan from 9 am pic.twitter.com/XnzS1dEGTs— Doordarshan National दूरदर्शन नेशनल (@DDNational) March 28, 2020
Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm.@narendramodi@PIBIndia@DDNational
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 27, 2020
The Economic Times quoted a Prasar Bharati official saying,
“The format in which the serial (Ramayan) has been stored is being enhanced for better broadcast quality. It was shot in low band using digibeta tools, which have been obsolete now for over 15-20 years. Now, it is all digital and advanced chip-based formats. We have retrieved the content for 50 episodes and are working on the rest of the content now. The music, the frames, everything remains the same.”
Desi Twitter expressed immense joy at the news by sharing memes and poked fun at contemporary streaming services declaring DD as the real gangsta.
https://twitter.com/Man_isssh/status/1243417236255039490
Indians from tomorrow at 9 am and 9 pm.#Ramayan pic.twitter.com/PvlSuyjDuR
— CHEEKU 🦋 (@Okay_Bye___) March 27, 2020
Retweet if you are watching #Ramayan pic.twitter.com/7agoZz6UWQ
— stand with farmer (@SupportFarmerHr) March 28, 2020
Doordarshan today 😎 #Ramayan pic.twitter.com/HboDuZUlQi
— Subodh Srivastava 🇮🇳 (@SuboSrivastava) March 28, 2020
Other Entertainment channels right now- pic.twitter.com/zIq25qYgUu#Ramayan
— श्रापित (@TrollDevendra) March 28, 2020
Everyone is a Gangsta until the real Gangsta arrives 😊#DDNational #Ramayan #Jayshreeram pic.twitter.com/qwe69YGGWB
— Rohit_Sonagra (@rohit_sonagra) March 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/NKMangat/status/1243445030594809856
https://twitter.com/sarcashubh/status/1243746116807450630
https://twitter.com/vaibhav_hatwal/status/1243755762721021952
Netflix, amazon prime, hotstar premium right now😂#Ramayan #mahabharata pic.twitter.com/DyjCrFoKEW
— The Sculpture (@theSculpture_) March 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/tripylekhak/status/1243752539750719488
https://twitter.com/rajusual/status/1243415654578835458
https://twitter.com/Imabhinaysingh/status/1243747015210614785
90s born kids on #Ramayan being telecasted again! pic.twitter.com/LlyhjUhHDi
— Vinay Verma (@ChintuIndori) March 27, 2020
#Ramayan to be re-telecast on TV.
Me – pic.twitter.com/BrXf4nm2w7— Jishan Ali (@Jishan_0715) March 27, 2020
#Ramayan
People: Ghar m bethe bethe bore hogye kya kre abDD national: pic.twitter.com/N8d2RNoQll
— Sir-Kid (@ooobhaishab) March 27, 2020
90s kids will be happy to know that BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, Byomkesh Bakshi, and Circus (starring Shah Rukh Khan) will also be broadcasted on TV with shows like Buniyaad, Mashal and Malgudi Days to follow very soon. Who knew the lockdown would have such nostalgic side effects?