He was a true Karm Yogi who lived amongst us: Shiv Sagar on his father Prem sagar’s demise

The world of Indian television and cinema recently lost one of its most respected pioneers, Shri Prem Sagar ji. He breathed his last on August 31. His son, Shiv Sagar, remembered him with deep emotion, reflecting on his extraordinary journey, his values, and his immense contribution to the cultural landscape of India.

“Shri Prem Sagar ji, my dear father, left his body on 31st August 2025 at his residence peacefully. He was suffering from colon cancer, which had been recently detected. He was 81 years old,” he said.

Shiv recalled how unexpected the loss felt. “We never expected that he would leave us so soon, as he was quite healthy and active, leading a very disciplined life and habituated to a daily office routine,” he added. 

His father’s last creative endeavor was close to his heart. He said, "His last show that he conceived and executed was Kaamdhenu Gaumata, which is airing on Star Bharat Monday to Friday at 9 pm daily. The show is based upon the divine wish-fulfilling cow from the Bharatiya Ithihas and was shot in Gujarat using a real cow and a lot of VFX.”

Even while battling illness, Prem Sagar ji’s dedication never wavered. Shiv remembered, “Till the last minute, just before being admitted to the hospital, Prem Sagar ji was giving corrections on the last episode of this limited series and giving instructions to the editing and graphics team on the creatives. He was a true Karm Yogi who lived amongst us.”

Looking back, Shiv painted a vivid picture of his father’s legacy. “He was so dedicated and passionate about his work and the mission of preserving Sanatan culture that one rarely comes across a human being who is like him. He was the torchbearer of taking forward the name and legacy of his own father, the late Shri Dr. Ramanand Sagar ji, to whom he was a very devoted son and great supporter and whom he admired ever so greatly,” he said.

From cinematography to direction, and from production to marketing, Prem Sagar ji wore many hats. “Prem Sagar ji was a cinematographer and DOP in most all of Late Ramanand Sagar ji’s super-hit movies like Lalkar, Charas, Arzoo, etc. He was a gold-medalist student from Pune’s FTII, after which he joined the family’s banner, Sagar Arts, to create some legendary films and TV shows that had never been seen before and were trailblazers for their ingenuity and original content,” Shiv recalled.

Shiv also spoke about how Ramayan was born after the success of Vikram Aur Betaal. “When his late father, Shri Dr. Ramanand Sagar ji, wanted to make the Ramayan series for the television medium and faced many obstructions and roadblocks, it was his son, Shri Prem Sagar ji, who, as a ‘test marketing’ strategy, made the super-hit show Vikram Aur Betaal. Being a good camera person, writer, director, and producer, he was able to make the show at a very low cost without compromising on the special effects, casting, and creatives,” he said.

There were also personal memories of childhood intertwined with creativity. “I remember coming home from school, and often there would be shooting going on in our big double-heighted hall with chandeliers. Once I remember I came home, and the movie Salma was being shot, and a dance sequence was being choreographed, and the actor Salma Agha, who was so gorgeous, met me. I was feeling too shy to say much to her,” Shiv shared.

Through all these moments, what stands out is Prem Sagar ji’s quiet strength and spiritual depth. “I have never seen my father talk to me in a raised voice ever in my life, and I’m 48 years old now. Once I remember I was a kid and threw a fit in the car while travelling. Instead of berating me, he told me that he was going to go on a Maun Vrat, or silent fast, for me so that I don’t behave in this manner. The guilt of him doing that for my bad behavior had a much more profound effect on me than berating would have ever been able to have. Such was the great spiritual power of this man, who touched so many lives; even if someone just met him once and briefly, he would make sure that that person would never forget that meeting,” Shiv said.

For Shiv, his father was more than a parent—he was a guru. “He was a great storyteller, writer, cinematographer, philosopher, husband, dad, and marketing guru and juggled all these roles by always joking around, smiling, and making people laugh, spreading positivity. He was a great human being, and he has been my guru and teacher, and I feel that the standards set by him of patience and kindness are so high that it would be very difficult to meet those standards,” he said.

As he bid farewell, Shiv found solace in his father’s peaceful departure. “They say that the time and manner of passing away from earth are very crucial to determine the onward journey of a soul. He passed away very peacefully at home on the 5th day of the Ganesh festival and on Radha-Astmi. So for me he went to Vaikunth Lok, because he had a deep burning love for Vishnu and all his manifestations like Ram and Krishna… Vishnu was his ‘Isht-Devta,’ and the worship of Vishnu is what I have learned from him,” Shiv concluded.