Veteran producer, cinematographer, and director Prem Sagar, son of legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar and father of producer Shiv Sagar, passed away on August 31 at his residence in Mumbai at the age of 81. An alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, from the 1968 batch, Prem Sagar was a Gold Medalist for Best Academic Student and a Silver Medalist for Best Photographed Student Film. His brilliance laid the foundation for a remarkable career in cinema and television.
Beginning his journey as a cinematographer, he worked on several celebrated films under the Sagar Arts banner, including Ankhen, Charas, Bhagawat, Hamrahi, Pyara Dushman, Armaan, Jalte Badan, Badal, Prem Bandhan, Salma, and more. His debut project, Lalkar, a romantic film set against a war backdrop, showcased his sensitive and imaginative eye for storytelling. Prem Sagar went on to expand his creative vision as a producer and director, playing a pivotal role in shaping India’s television landscape with iconic shows such as Vikram Aur Betaal, Ramayan, and Shri Krishna. These landmark productions captivated audiences nationwide and became part of the golden era of Indian television. Together with his son, he also founded Sagar World Multimedia (SWM), which continues to produce a wide variety of content.
Remembering his father, producer Shiv Sagar said, “He was diagnosed with colon cancer a month ago and was undergoing treatment. He returned home on Saturday and passed away peacefully on Sunday, 31st August, on the 5th day of the Ganesh festival. It was also Radha Ashtami, making the day doubly special. Prem ji was like his name—full of love and emotions. He was a doting father, yet strict when needed. The camera was simply an extension of his hand. In spite of being an ace cinematographer and even directing a movie with Jeetendra ji and Hema Malini, he started the television wing of Sagar Arts with Vikram Aur Betaal, which was the precursor to Ramayan (1987). Later, he became the marketing director of Sagar Arts and traveled the world more than 20 times. Prem ji was always very original and embraced new technology. He loved our recently released show Kamdhenu Gamata on Star Bharat. He even visited the set a couple of times when we were shooting for it. I learnt everything I know about life and filmmaking from him. He was my guru too and had the gift of the gab, and we worked together on many projects. I admired his patience, storytelling abilities, marketing vision, and his talent for making people laugh and feel at ease. He had deep knowledge of Hinduism, spirituality, and cinema. With him, an entire era has gone.”
The whole industry is in mourning. Arun Govil and Sunil Lahiri, the famous Ram–Lakshman duo from the TV show Ramayan, attended the funeral, where Shiv Sagar performed the cremation rites. The prayer meet will be held on 3rd September in Mumbai.
