Arun Govil is a celebrated Indian actor, producer, director and politician, famously known for his iconic portrayal of Lord Rama.

Wiki/Biography

Arun Govil was born on Sunday, January 12, 1958 (age 66 as of 2024), in Ramnagar, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. He earned a BSc degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. He actively participated in school and college theatrical productions, though a career in acting wasn’t initially his focus. After graduation, he moved to Mumbai to assist his brother’s business. This experience eventually led him to pursue his passion for acting.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5′ 10″
• Eye Colour: Black
• Hair Colour: Black

Family & Caste

Arun Govil hails from a Hindu family.

Parents & Siblings

His father, Chandra Prakash Govil, worked as a government waterworks engineer in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Govil had a large family, with eight children – six sons and two daughters. One of his older brothers, Vijay Govil, married Tabassum, a well-known former Indian actress and long-time host of Doordarshan’s popular talk show, “Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan”.

Family & Children

Arun is married to Shrilekha Govil, a former designer and film actress. They met early in his acting career, and he attributes much of his success to her support.

Together, they have two children: Amal Govil (son) and Sonika Govil (daughter). Amal works as a banker in Mumbai, while Sonika is studying at Hult International Business School in Boston, USA.

Career

Acting

The routine of his brother’s business in Mumbai spurred Arun to pursue acting. After about two years, he landed his first role in the film Paheli (1977) as a supporting actor. Impressed by his performance, Rajshri Productions signed him as a lead actor for three more films: Sawan Ko Aane Do (1979), Raadha Aur Seeta (1979), and Saanch Ko Aanch Nahin (1979). Sawan Ko Aane Do became a major success, its music remaining popular to this day.

His career continued to flourish. He starred in Jiyo To Aise Jiyo (1981), a significant hit of its time. He worked in numerous Hindi films, and also expanded to Telugu, Bhojpuri, Bengali and Oriya cinema, with films like Bidhira Bidhan (1989- Oriya), Edu Kondalaswamy (1991- Telugu), Govinda Govinda (1993- Telugu), and Pyari Dulhaniya (1989- Bhojpuri).

He made his television debut in Ramanand Sagar’s acclaimed series, Vikram Aur Betaal (1988), playing King Vikramaditya. His role as Lord Rama in Sagar’s Ramayan (1987-88) became a global phenomenon, a career milestone that earned him the Uptron Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 1989.

His success in Ramayan led to many spiritual roles, including King Harishchandra and Lord Buddha, but also typecast him, limiting future opportunities in Bollywood. In 2008, he established his own production company, Arun Govil Productions Private Limited. More recently, in 2024, he played Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the film Article 370.

Politics

Arun Govil joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 18, 2021, before assembly elections in several states. He cited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s reaction to the chant “Jai Shri Ram” as a motivating factor. He contested and won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Meerut seat in Uttar Pradesh.

Car Collection

Arun Govil purchased a Mercedes C 200 in June 2022.

Facts/Trivia

Here are some interesting facts about Arun Govil’s life:

• His father wanted him to become a government official, while Arun pursued a different path.
• He wasn’t the first choice for the role of Lord Rama in Ramayan, initially facing rejection before being selected.
• He’s a versatile actor, having played both lead and supporting roles alongside legendary Bollywood stars.
• He quit smoking after taking on the role of Ram in Ramayan.
• Even today, many Indians still address him as “Ram Ji” out of respect for his iconic portrayal.
• He played Laxman in the 1997 film Lav Kush.
• In 2016, he and Sunil Lahri (Laxman in Ramayan) were victims of a property fraud.
• He discussed the challenges faced in his career post-Ramayan, where his strong image as Ram limited his acting options.
• During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, a picture of him watching the re-telecast of Ramayan with his family went viral.

Arun Govil’s Filmography