Son of ‘Ramayan’ creator Ramanand Sagar, Anand Sagar Chopra dies in Mumbai

The Indian television industry is mourning the loss of Anand Ramanand Sagar Chopra, son of legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar and co-producer of the iconic 1987 television epic Ramayan.

Anand Ramanand Sagar Chopra dies

Anand Sagar Chopra passed away in Mumbai on February 13, 2026, bringing an end to a long association with one of Indian television’s most influential creative families.

According to family sources and media reports, Chopra was 84 and had been battling Parkinson’s disease for over a decade before his death. His last rites were held the same day at Hindu Smashan Bhumi (Pavan Hans) in Mumbai at 4:30 pm, attended by close family members, friends and several figures from the film and television fraternity.

The family confirmed the news in an official statement, expressing grief over the loss and requesting prayers for his peaceful journey. Tributes soon began pouring in across social media, with members of the entertainment industry remembering him as a quiet yet crucial force behind the Sagar legacy.

Carrying forward the ‘Ramayan’ legacy

Anand Sagar Chopra was closely associated with Sagar Arts, the production banner founded by his father, Ramanand Sagar — the visionary filmmaker who transformed Indian television with Ramayan in 1987. The series became a cultural phenomenon, drawing record viewership and famously bringing streets across India to a standstill every Sunday morning during its broadcast.

Chopra co-produced Ramayan and later played an important role in preserving and expanding the family’s mythological storytelling tradition. Industry observers often credited him with ensuring continuity of the brand after his father’s passing in 2005.

Beyond Ramayan, he contributed to several mythological and devotional television projects, including Alif Laila, Jai Jai Bajrangbali and Jai Shivshankar, helping sustain audience interest in large-scale spiritual storytelling on Indian television.

During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the re-telecast of Ramayan became a national event once again, breaking viewership records and introducing the classic series to a new generation of viewers — a revival effort that also reflected the enduring relevance of the Sagar family’s work.