Veteran actress Dipika Chikhlia, known for her iconic portrayal of Goddess Sita in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, has expressed her disapproval regarding a recent kiss controversy at Tirupati temple involving filmmaker Om Raut and actress Kriti Sanon.
Ramayan's Sita Dipika Chikhlia shared her thoughts on the matter, suggesting that Kriti may not have considered herself to be in the shoes of Sita, the character she will be playing in Om Raut's upcoming film Adipurush, based on the epic Ramayana.
The controversy arose after the makers of Adipurush unveiled the final trailer of the film at a pre-release event in Tirupati. Following the event, Om Raut and Kriti Sanon visited the Lord Venkateswara temple, where Om Raut was spotted bidding farewell to Kriti with a kiss. This act received backlash from a section of social media users.
HERE'S WHAT DIPIKA SAID
Speaking about the incident, Dipika Chikhlia expressed her views to Aajtak., stating, "I think this is a major issue with the new-gen actors, as they fail to immerse themselves in the character and understand its emotions. For them, Ramayana might have been just a film. Perhaps they failed to make a spiritual connection. Kriti is an actress of today's generation, where kissing or hugging someone is considered a sweet gesture. She might have never perceived herself as Sita Ji. It's a matter of emotions. I lived the character of Sita, whereas today's actresses simply view it as a role. Once the film or project is over, they no longer care."
Dipika further reflected on the differences between her time and the present era, stating, "During our time, nobody dared to call us by our names on the set. When we were in character, many people would come and touch our feet right on the set. It was a different era. Back then, they didn't see us as actors; they considered us as gods. We couldn't even hug anyone, let alone engage in a kiss. The actors of Adipurush will move on to their next projects after the film's release and might forget about their characters. But such a thing never happened to us. We were treated as if we were divine beings who descended from above and lived in this world. That's why we never did anything that would hurt people's sentiments."
THE OLD & NEW RAMAYANA
Dipika Chikhlia, alongside actor Arun Govil who played Lord Rama, became a household name through their respective roles in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, which aired on Doordarshan in the late 1980s.
As for Adipurush, the film features Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, and Saif Ali Khan in lead roles. It is set to release on June 16, and fans are eagerly awaiting its arrival.
