Deepika Chikhalia on Sai Pallavi playing Sita in Ranbir Kapoor and Yash’s Ramayana: ‘She’s a great actress, but I don’t know what Sita will look like’
As excitement continues to build around Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious adaptation of ‘Ramayana’, Deepika Chikhalia, who became synonymous with Sita through Ramanand Sagar’s legendary TV serial ‘Ramayan’, shared her views on the new cast. Talking about Sai Pallavi taking on the iconic role,
Deepika
She praised the actress’s talent while admitting that she is waiting to see how she embodies the character on screen.
Deepika Chikhalia talks about casting Sai Pallavi
Deepika appreciated Sai Pallavi’s acting abilities, but believes that the audience can only judge the performance once the film is released.Speaking to Variety India, she shared, “I have seen her work. She is an exceptional actress. But I don’t know what she would look like as Sita. Once we see her, we will know. Right now, I have no idea. The description of Sita in Tulsidas’s ‘Ramayan’ was that of a woman with almond eyes, a certain height, hair and complexion.”
This is what Ramanand Sagar was looking for, and he saw in me. I know they are all good actors. If they fit the bill, that’s good.
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Deepika Chikhalia’s first day on the sets was nothing like Sita
Recalling her early days in Ramanand Sagar’s classic TV serial, Deepika revealed that she made her debut in the role of Goddess Lakshmi before eventually being cast in the role of Sita.“My first day of Ramayan was not as Sita. I was Goddess Lakshmi. We did this one episode for Doordarshan for seven days,” she shared.
I was pressing Lord Vishnu’s feet only for those seven days. I didn’t know what the future of the show was. Babaji (Ramanand Sagar) said that if this is approved, ‘Ramayan’ will be made. “That’s what it was.”
The original ‘Ramayan’ still holds a special place for Deepika Chikhalia
Asked about
Arun Govil
who played Lord Ram in the TV series and now plays King Dashrath in Ramayana, Deepika reflected on the lasting impact of the original series and why she feels its legacy remains unparalleled.Chikhalia said, “We are known for who we are. I am known as Sita. Sometimes, people forget my name, but they remember that I played Sita. So, that is my identity. I don’t know why anyone would want to lose that. Of course, as an actor, you want to play different roles. Nobody wants to get typed. I think our Ramayan will have a very big impact on Ramayana. The new generation also watched our Ramayan when it came out. It was aired on Doordarshan during the pandemic.”
So, it’s very difficult to erase that. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in ‘Ramayan’.
Typecasting changed Deepika Chikhalia’s career
Deepika admitted that portraying Sita brought massive recognition but also made it difficult for filmmakers to imagine her in different roles.She explained, “I have not been getting any work. In fact, I am asking people for work even now. Ranbir has acted in ‘Barfi!’, ‘Sanju’ and ‘Animal’, and now he is playing the role of Lord Rama. This is the beauty of our time.”
This is not the case nowadays. We’ve all gotten typecast. It’s still very difficult to get work because people don’t see me as anyone else. That’s why I got into production.”
Ramayana movie cast and release date
Ramayana boasts one of the largest ensembles ever assembled for a Hindi film.
Ranbir Kapoor
He plays the role of Lord Rama, while Sai Pallavi portrays Sita. Yash will be seen in the role of the antagonist Ravana, while Sunny Deol will play the role of Lord Hanuman and Ravi Dubey will play the role of Lakshman. The cast also includes Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Arun Govil as King Dashrath, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva, Kunal Kapoor as Lord Indra, and Adinath Kothar as Bharata, while Anupam Kher lends his voice to Jatyu.
