Vikram Aur Betaal () is an Indian television series that aired on DD National in 1985 and was re-telecast in 1988 after the hit series Ramayan. The series contained stories from Indian mythology. The concept of the program was based on Baital Pachisi, a collection of tales and legends within a frame story from India (a collection of 25 tales that are narrated by Vetala to Vikram). It is also known as Vikram-Betaal. It is about the legendary king Vikram (identified as Vikramāditya) and the ghost Betal (identified as Vetala, a spirit analogous to a vampire in Western literature). The show aired at 4:30 PM Indian Standard Time on Sundays from 1985 to 1986.
Legend
Vikram Aur Betaal draws its inspiration from 'Betaal Pachisi,' which is a collection of tales penned by the 11th-century Kashmiri poet Somdev Bhatta. The tales unfold as the ghost Betaal shares his narratives with the King Vikramaditya. .
The legend states that Vikramaditya, a ruler governing a kingdom from his capital in Ujjain, was known for his passion for knowledge and adventure. Fearless and resolute, the king welcomed daily visitors who bestowed him with various gifts, all of which he graciously accepted. Among these guests was a mendicant who, on each visit, presented the king with fruit. Vikramaditya, in turn, entrusted these gifts to the royal storekeeper. One fateful day, as the king handled the fruit, a surprising discovery unfolded—a ruby concealed within. Intrigued, Vikramaditya ordered an inspection of all the fruits, revealing a cache of fine rubies. Determined to understand the mystery, the king sought out the mendicant, who set a peculiar condition for their meeting under a banyan tree in the heart of the cremation ground, at night, on the 14th day of the dark half of the month. Abiding by the arrangement, the king met the mendicant, who revealed a task only a ruler like Vikramaditya could undertake. He instructed the king to retrieve a centuries-old corpse hanging from a tree's branch at the northernmost corner of the ground. The mendicant sought occult powers through specific rites performed on this particular corpse.
Legend further has it that Vikramaditya, driven by a vow, had to transport Betaal's corpse silently from one location to another. During this journey, Betaal's spirit within the corpse narrated stories, concluding each with a question. The king, bound by the vow, had to respond; failure to do so risked dire consequences. Yet, each time Vikramaditya answered, Betaal returned to the treetop, leaving the king short of his destination. Undeterred, Vikramaditya persisted, completing all 25 stories as dictated by 'Betaal Pachisi.' However, Betaal eventually disclosed the mendicant's sinister motive. Intent on acquiring world powers, the mendicant planned to kill the king during the occult rites on Betaal's corpse. Suspicion arose in Vikramaditya's mind, but he proceeded to meet the mendicant, anticipating a surprise. True to Betaal's revelation, the mendicant attempted to kill Vikramaditya, who, displaying cunning prowess, outsmarted and defeated his assailant, exposing the nefarious plan.
Thus, the tales of Vikram Aur Betaal unfold, weaving together elements of suspense, wisdom, and the triumph of virtue over treachery.
Cast
Main Arun Govil - as Vikram or King Vikramāditya Sajjan - as Betaal or Vetala (ghost).
Episodic Arvind Trivedi - as the mendicant. Deepika Chikhalia - in many roles. Vijay Arora - in many roles. Ramesh Bhatkar - in many roles. Mulraj Rajda - in many roles. Rajnibala - in many roles. Sunil Lahiri - in many roles. Lilliput - in many roles. Rama Vij - in many roles. Satish Kaul - in many roles. Surjeet Mohanty - in many roles. Sameer Rajda - in many roles. Vijay Kavish - as Chamatkari Yogi (S1 E22), Divya Atma (S1E21), Prabandhak (S1E10), Rupsen (S1E2), The Magician's Son (S1E15), The Weaver (S1E11)
List of episodes # Title Other Cast 1 "King Vikramaditya and the Yogi / Suryamal and His Bride's Dilemma" Balwant Bansal as MantriRamesh Bhatkar as the bride's fatherGagan Gupta as soldierSatish Kaul as Suryamal Short Summary: The first episode is about how Raja Vikramaditya and Betaal meet. Betaal tells him a story of Suryamal, who falls in love with a woman and marries her with her parents' consent. En route to home, dacoits attack and behead Suryamal and his friend. Suryamal's bride, a devout worshipper of the goddess Durga, tries to commit suicide after seeing her husband dead. Goddess answers her prayers and decides to bring them both alive. Excited with joy, the bride puts Suryamal's head on his friend's body and vice versa. Question: Betaal asks, who should the bride now consider as her husband; the man who has Suryamal's head or Suryamal's body?Answer: Vikram answers, as the brain controls the whole man, the man with Suryamal's head is the bride's husband. 2 "King Rupsen and His Bodyguard Virvar" Dara Singh as VirvarMadhu Kapoor as Raj Laxmi Short Summary: Virvar with his mighty physical strength gains the position of being bodyguard to King Rupsen. But he charges him a hefty sum of 9 tolas of gold daily. One day the goddess of wealth (Raj Laxmi) tells Virvar that a demon who sleeps in a cave will soon wake up and eat the king to satisfy his hunger. Being king's bodyguard, Virvar along with his family decides to sacrifice their lives and hence enter the cave. After knowing what Virvar did to save his life, King Rupsen feels ashamed of not doing his duty of protecting his masses and he too enters the cave. The goddess of wealth comes and tells them all of how it was all her plan to test Virvar if he really was loyal as he charged a huge amount.Question: Betaal asks Vikram - Between King Rupsen and Virvar whose sacrifice is greater?Answer: Vikram answers - It was Virvar's duty to protect the king and he did duty by protecting King Rupsen, whereas King Rupsen had no such obligation towards Virvar. Hence King Rupsen's sacrifice was greater. 3 "Love Story of King Yashodhan" Vijay Arora as YashodhanRajni Bala as Girl's motherRamesh Bhatkar as Girl's fatherMohan Choti as DarbariSatish Kaul as SenapatiKaajal Kiran as Rich man's daughterChandrakant Pandya as DarbariMulraj Rajda as Kausal Sen Short Summary: King Yashodhan is a just and kind king of his kingdom. He is well trusted by his army, commanders, and courtiers. But, Yashodhan is also well-skilled in punishing the culprits. He does so by punishing a businessman who had brought the nautch girls for his luxury. In his kingdom, there lived a rich couple who plans to marry their beautiful and able daughter off to the king. They send an invitation to the King, in return the king sends his darbaris to inspect the girl whether she is qualified enough to be the Queen. The Darbaris does so and think positively about her. But on their return way to the palace, the evil businessman convinced the Darbaris that the girl can't be queen as if the girl is beautiful then the king will not pay attention to his duties. So, the Darbaris lies to the king about the girl. As a result, the king brokes the proposal of marriage with the girl. After some time, the same rich man arranges his daughter marriage with the King's Commander. He engages his daughter with the commander and they fall in love with each other. One day, the girl's beauty caught the king's eye. He sends his ministers and commander to search the girl and ask her hand for the king. This puts a dilemma situation to the commander as his loyalty to the king is tested. As a result, he broke off with the girl and sacrifices her, and tells the king that she is ready for marriage with the king. On the wedding day, the darbaris advise the king to reward the commander after being asked why so, the darbaris put the whole truth to the king. As the king was just he arranges the marriage of the commander and the very girl. Thus, sacrificing her. Question: Whose sacrifice is bigger and greater the king's or the commander's? Answer: The commander's sacrifice is bigger and greater as he sacrificed his love and fiancée for sake of loyalty and kingdom whereas the king sacrifices only a girl he wished to marry by simply catching her glimpse. 4 "Three Suitors and Somprabha" Vijay Arora as AnuragiRamesh Bhatkar as Somprabha's FatherSatish Kaul as ShilpiKaajal Kiran as SomprabhaSunil Lahri as Vir SinghMulraj Rajda as the GiantDharmesh Tiwari as Somprabha's Brother Short Summary: Somprabha is a beautiful and multi-talented girl ready age to get married. Her father, mother, and brother were happy for her and wanted to get her married. But, a giant demon has also vowed and promised them that he will take her away. This tensed the whole family. After some days, Somprabha's Father was travelling when group of bandits attacked his group then, a handsome and brave warrior, Vir Singh saved them with his weaponry and physical strength. Father gets impressed and offers him to marry his daughter which he accepts. Somprabha's mother also meets a poet who had written about her charm, the mother also offers him the same and he also accepted. At the same time, brother also offers the same to an engineer who had built a Viman, who also accepts. At the time of the official matchmaking ceremony, all three suitors arrive and the bride is given the choice of choosing her betrothed. Alas, the giant demon arrives and abducts Somprabha, much to the dismay of her family and three suitors. The suitors then decide to go after the demon, as the poet knows the place where the demon lives. Using the engineer's Viman, all three arrive at the demon's place and the warrior manages to defeat the demon. With Somprabha in tow, all of them go back safely to her home. Somprabha now faces a dilemma on whom to pick as her husband. Question: Who should Somprabha marry? The warrior, the poet, or the engineer? Answer: As a husband should be able to protect his wife from all forms of danger, the warrior is most worthy among the three as he alone was able to defeat and save Somprabha from the demon. 5 "The Story of Padmavati and Prince Vajramukti" Rajni Bala as Dai MaRamesh Bhatkar as Diwan's sonSatish Kaul as Prince VajramuktiRama Vij as Padmavati Short Summary:Prince Vajramukti is a handsome Prince of a Kingdom.He is in friendship with his Diwan(Minister)'s Son.One day, both wandered around the forest where the Prince sees a beautiful girl and is smitten by her beauty. He asked her about her name, address, and her father's occupation by which she replied by pointing herself with a lotus, touching her ear and acting as if uprooting the tooth. This puzzles Vajramukti and he asks his friend about it who easily solves the puzzles and knows her whereabouts in Karnapur as Dentist's daughter and named Padmavati. Then he finds her and proposes marriage, which she accepts. But, the King of Karnapur is also smitten by her and intends to marry her. Vajramukti is angered by it but his friend advised a peaceful way of solving the problem. The Diwan's son disguised as a thief steals Padmavati's Jewelry and then again disguised as a sage goes to king and says that the girl with the particular jewelry has enticed him sexually. This enraged the king and he immediately exiles Padmavati who is then happily married to Vajramukti. Question: Who is more sinful and culprit among the three Prince, Diwan's Son or the King?