Dipika Chikhlia is best known for her portrayal of Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic Ramayan on Doordarshan. Even decades later, she remains strongly associated with the character and continues to be held in high regard by fans. Despite offers to play different roles, Dipika has made it clear that she does not want to part from the iconic role of Sita.

In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Dipika revealed that she was once offered the role of Kaushalya, Sita’s mother, in a television serial. However, her brother advised her against it, saying, “You are known as Sita, and you should die as Sita.” This advice resonated with her, and she decided to stick with the character she’s so beloved for.

Sita Is Her Identity

Dipika shared her thoughts on her enduring connection to Sita, stating, “I understood that people know me as Sita Ji, and nothing will be as popular as Ramayan. Why should I fiddle with my image? For 35 years, I’ve taken the responsibility of being Sita. Why try to be something else?” She firmly believes that this role is her true calling.

While Dipika acknowledges that playing a god on-screen doesn’t make one a god in real life, she emphasises the responsibility that comes with the role. She shared that she once received an offer from big production houses to play a role while holding a cigarette, to which she strongly objected. “I wondered, how can you even ask me something like that?” she said, reflecting on the respect she maintains for her character.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana Project

Meanwhile, Ramayan is seeing a new adaptation, with Ranbir Kapoor portraying Lord Ram in an upcoming film directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The first installment is set to release during Diwali 2026, followed by the sequel in Diwali 2027. The film also features Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Yash as Ravana. Reports indicate that Ranbir has completed all major scenes for the film, with only minor patchwork remaining.