Ever since Nitesh Tiwari announced Ramayana, the film has remained one of the most talked-about projects in Indian cinema, from Ranbir Kapoor‘s transformation into Lord Rama to Sai Pallavi‘s casting as Goddess Sita. Now, Dipika Chikhlia, whose portrayal of Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s legendary Ramayan remains etched in the minds of audiences, has shared her thoughts on Sai Pallavi taking over the iconic role.
Dipika Chikhlia on Sai Pallavi as Sita
Dipika spoke about the highly-anticipated Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita, during an interview with Variety India.
Talking about Sai Pallavi playing the role of Sita, Dipika said, “I have seen her work. She’s a phenomenal actor. But I don’t know how she’ll look like Sita. Once we see her, we’ll know. At the moment, I have no clue. The description of Sita in Tulsidas’ Ramayan was that of a woman with almond eyes, a certain height, hair and skin. That’s what Ramanand Sagar was looking for, and he saw it in me. I know all of them are good actors. If they fit the bill, then it’s good.”
Arun Govil, who famously portrayed Lord Rama opposite Dipika in the iconic television serial, is now stepping into the role of King Dashrath in the film. Dipika believes audiences continue to cherish and remember them for their portrayals in the beloved mythological show.
“We’re known for what we are. I’m known as Sita. Sometimes, people forget my name, but they remember that I played Sita. So, that’s my identity. I don’t know why anybody would want to lose that. Of course, as an actor, you want to play different roles. Nobody wants to get typecast. I think our Ramayan will weigh very heavily on the “Ramayana” film. Our Ramayan was also watched by the new generation when it aired on Doordarshan during the pandemic. So, it’s very difficult to erase that. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan,” Dipika added. She feels that “erasing the old Ramayan will be very difficult”.
About Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part epic with the first part releasing in theatres this November. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, apart from Ravie Dubey, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, and a large ensemble cast.
The trailer of the film was scheduled to be released at the San Diego Comic Con on Friday morning. However, hours before the scheduled trailer release at 8 AM, it was postponed. Producer Namit Malhotra wrote on social media, “Today is a very special moment for our “Ramayana”, my dream of taking ramayana to the world is now a reality with our partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment. In light of the above we will be launching our trailer now globally at a later date.”
Backed by a reported budget of ₹4,000 crore, Ramayana is among the costliest Indian films ever made. The project also brings together Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman for its music. The first part is scheduled to release during Diwali 2026, while the second chapter is expected to arrive in theatres in 2027.