Do You Know? Ramayan’s Repeat Telecast Triggered Eye Injuries Among Children During Lockdown(Photo Credit –Twitter)
Advertisement
Whenever we talk about the most successful shows in the history of Indian television, Ramayan’s name has to be there. The show is still in the hearts of Indians, and we saw proof of it during the COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown, the historic show was brought back on TV, and it saw an earth-shattering response, proving the craze of the renowned show. However, it also had a negative impact. Keep reading to know more!
Rerun of Ramayan
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the entire nation was stuck in its home, and as an attempt to entertain the bored audience, Doordarshan decided to bring back its iconic shows for repeat telecast. One of those shows was Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, starring Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia in the lead roles. It was originally aired from 25th January 1987 to 31st July 1988.
During its original run, Ramayan emerged as a cult success, and it fetched sensational ratings. Over the years, all the actors associated with the show earned a loyal fan base, and even today, they are known for their portrayals.
During the lockdown, Ramayan had a dream run, and as per the report of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the show had amassed a staggering 170 million viewers during the first weekend of its rerun. This jaw-dropping run continued throughout the entire rerun. But on the other side, many kids even lost their eyesight.
As reported in Times Of India, around 12 children in Hyderabad lost their eyesight during Ramayan’s repeat telecast during the lockdown. The children imitated a bow-and-arrow technique used by the characters in the show.
Talking about the same, doctor Subhadra Jalali (director of Retina Institute at LVPEI) said, “When Ramayan was telecast about two decades back, we saw many bow-and-arrow injuries. For about 15 years we did not see these injuries, but the numbers are starting to rise again. In an attempt to copy the central characters (from TV shows), kids make their own bow-and-arrow games.”
Meanwhile, the show was watched by 77 million people on 16th April 2020, as per Doordarshan.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more entertainment updates & stories!
