Why did Betal of Vikram Aur Betal leave the show? Demand for fees was heavy, episodes were shot without actors

Before the immense success of Ramanand Sagar’s timeless serial ‘Ramayana’, ‘Vikram Aur Betal’ had created a unique place for itself in the hearts of the audience. This 80s show is remembered not only for its story but also for the magical character of Betal who used to sit on the back of King Vikram and ask questions. But do you know how the career of Sajjan Lal Purohit, who played the character of ‘Betal’ in this show, went downhill due to a wrong decision?

How did Sajjan Lal Purohit become ‘Betal’?

There were very old relations between Sajjan Lal Purohit and Ramanand Sagar family. According to the information given by Prem Sagar, the Sagar family and Sajjan’s family were very close to each other. When Ramanand Sagar decided to make ‘Vikram Aur Betal’, he was looking for a face for the role of ‘Betal’ who would also appeal to the audience as a vampire. Due to their old friendship, Ramanand Sagar offered Sajjan the role of Betal and this decision proved to be a masterstroke.

Fee dispute: When attitudes changed as soon as the show became a hit

The popularity of ‘Vikram Aur Betal’ started touching the sky. People had become crazy about that famous dialogue of Betal “Tu bola, to main chala ja raha hai, main to chala…” As soon as he tasted success, Sajjan demanded an increase in his fees. According to reports in ‘Sagar World’, when he proposed the increased fees to the producers, the makers refused to accept it. After this the differences increased so much that Sajjan left the show midway.

Makers’ Jugaad: Show goes ahead without Betal

Sajjan felt that it would be difficult for the show to proceed without him, but Ramanand Sagar did not give up. He came up with a method that dealt a severe blow to Sajjan’s career:

• Use of old footage: The makers used footage from his previous episodes, instead of shooting afresh without Sajjan.

• Dubbing Support: He got Betal’s voice dubbed by a voice-over artist, so that the audience felt that Betal was still a part of the story.

• outcome: Instead of stopping, the show was as successful as before and there was no need to call Sajjan again.

After this incident, Sajjan’s career seemed to have come to a halt. While on one hand he could have become a star through the show, on the other hand the insistence on fees took away that golden opportunity from him. This incident is still used in the film industry as an example of how important humility and practical understanding are even after reaching the pinnacle of success.