TV actor Dipika Chikhlia, forever associated with her portrayal of Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic television series Ramayan, has reacted to the extraordinary box-office performance of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana. The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, has crossed approximately $115.6 million worldwide within eight days of its release.
Dipika said she had expected the film to succeed, pointing to its production scale, star cast and visual effects. Her latest comments have also brought renewed attention to her earlier remarks about Sai Pallavi’s casting as Sita, particularly her observations about the actor’s appearance.
Dipika says she predicted Ramayana’s success
During a recent interaction with paparazzi, Dipika was told that Ramayana had crossed the Rs 1,000 crore mark worldwide. She responded by saying she had already expressed confidence in the project.
“See, I told you right that the film is well-made and is bound to be a hit. It has so many big stars. See how it crossed 900-1000 crore in just 4-5 days. Superb,” she said.
She also praised the film’s visual presentation, adding, “Yes, the movie is good, and so many big stars and VFX, all of it is so beautiful.”
Dipika encouraged photographers to watch the film in theaters, describing it as a good cinematic experience.
Why Dipika’s earlier comments about Sai Pallavi are back in focus
The renewed attention comes months after Dipika questioned how Sai Pallavi would look as Sita in the upcoming adaptation. In a July interview with Variety India, she praised Sai’s acting but said she wanted to see her in the role before forming an opinion.
She also specifically questioned the depiction of Sita with curly hair, arguing that this detail was not mentioned in the Ramayana.
“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. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan,” Dipika had said.
She had also warned that the new film would face comparisons with Ramanand Sagar’s television adaptation, which continues to hold a special place among viewers.
“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,” she said.
Her earlier comments had placed the spotlight on the expectations surrounding Sai Pallavi’s portrayal of one of the most revered characters in the epic. Now, with the film recording a major commercial success, Dipika has publicly praised its presentation.
Why Dipika Chikhlia said she would not join the new Ramayana
Dipika had also spoken about Arun Govil, her former co-star who played Lord Ram in the television series, being cast as King Dasharath in the new film. She admitted that she found it difficult to imagine him playing another character.
“If you played Ram, then you are Ram,” she said.
She also revealed that she was never approached for a role in the film and would not have accepted one even if she had been offered a part. Having played Sita, she said she could not picture herself portraying another character in the epic.
“Once I played Sita, I don’t think I can play any other character in Ramayan,” she said.
Ramayana crosses $115 million worldwide
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana was released in theaters on November 5. According to Sacnilk, the film had earned approximately $115.6 million in worldwide gross by the end of Thursday (12), becoming the third-fastest Indian film to enter the Rs 1,000 crore club.
Its domestic net collection stood at approximately $63.2 million, while its India gross was around $75.5 million. Overseas markets contributed approximately $40.1 million to the worldwide total.
The two-part adaptation features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, while Arun Govil portrays King Dasharath. The music is composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The second installment is scheduled to arrive in theaters during Diwali 2028.
