MUMBAI, Dec 13: Leading Indian filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, whose television adaptation of the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’ was such a hit with audiences it brought the nation to a virtual halt, has died at the age of 88.

Ramanand Sagar, known for his magic touch as a producer and director, died in Mumbai on Monday after months of ill health following abdominal surgery.

But he became a household name for making the 78-episode television serial on the life of Lord Rama that brought India to a virtual standstill every week.

Every Sunday morning in the late 1980s, Indians clustered around TV sets to watch the marathon series about Lord Rama, one of the most revered gods in the Hindu pantheon.

Sometimes even trains would stop so the crew and passengers could catch the serial at a station. Weddings and other social events would be scheduled so they would not conflict with the broadcast of the popular serial.

The prolific filmmaker was born in 1917 into a wealthy family in what is now Pakistan.—AFP