'Ram Rajya' is the only film that Mahatma Gandhi ever watched: Film historian Dilip Thakur

In a fascinating revelation from the golden age of Indian cinema, it has come to light that filmmaker

Vijay Bhatt

, grandfather of Bollywood director

Vikram Bhatt

, crafted three films depicting the timeless epic of Lord Rama. Among them, the film '

Ram Rajya

' holds a unique distinction as it had the honour of being screened for Mahatma Gandhi.
Film historian

Dilip Thakur

shared insights into this cinematic gem, stating, "In those days, mythological films had a tremendous impact at the box office. 'Ram Rajya' was no exception, with its release in Super at Grant Road. This was a time when Bombay extended only up to Bandra, and the film's two shows were in Hindi, with one show in Marathi. Astonishingly, the film ran for over 102 weeks."

Thakur went on to reveal, "'Ram Rajya' is the only film that Mahatma Gandhi ever watched. The title of the film was so significant as he often used to mention the term Ram Rajya during the freedom struggle."

Bhatt's cinematic journey with the Ramayana saga began with 'Bharat Milap' in 1942, followed by 'Rambaan', featuring Sobhna Samarath and Chandrakant. The narrative continued in 1954 with 'Ramayan', presenting the version that included the story of Rama's children, Luv and Kush.

Remarkably, Vijay Bhatt revisited the tale years later. Thakur revealed, "He remade his film in colour and had Bina Rai instead of Shobhna Samarth as Sita.''