Dipika Chikhlia, who became a household name in the late 80s for her portrayal of Goddess Sita in Ramanand Sagar's TV show Ramayan, recently shared her thoughts on Ranbir Kapoor's upcoming film based on the same epic, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. In an interview with India Today, Dipika expressed her reservations about remaking Ramayan, emphasising the importance of preserving the sanctity of religious texts.
Dipika on Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan
Dipika voiced her concerns, stating, "Honestly, I am quite disillusioned by people who keep making Ramayan because I don't think you should be doing it. People are making a mess of it. I don't think people should be making Ramayan again and again because every time they make it, they want to bring in something new; a new story, a new angle, a new look. Like for Kriti Sanon, they gave her a pink coloured satin (saree in Adipurush). They gave Saif (Saif Ali Khan who played Ravana in Om Raut's film) a different look because they wanted to do something different, creatively. But then what you are doing is you're spoiling that whole impact of what Ramayan is all about.”
She further added, "One should not tamper around with religious texts. I don't think one should be doing it and just leave it aside. Just don't do this. There are so many stories that you can talk about besides Ramayan. Speak about a lot of freedom fighters. There's so much that one can talk about; unsung heroes who were valiant in history for freedom. Why only Ramayan?”
About Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan
Leaked photos from the sets, which surfaced two months ago, showed Ranbir and Sai Pallavi as Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. Additionally, images of Arun Govil and Lara Dutta in royal attire have sparked speculation that they will be playing King Dashrath and Queen Kaikeyi.
There are also rumours about Bobby Deol, Vijay Sethupathi, and Sunny Deol portraying Kumbhkaran, Vibhishana, and Lord Hanuman, respectively. However, Nitesh Tiwari and the producers have yet to provide any official confirmation regarding the cast and roles.