Dipika Chikhalia aka Sita of the original Ramayan: Hema Maliniji told makers that my character shouldn’t wear lipstick to maintain authenticity

Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhalia achieved cult status after playing the roles of Ram and Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 Ramayan. Their names have been synonymous as Lord Rama and Sita. They will soon be seen in The Kapil Sharma Show as Ramayan completes 33 years. In an interview with Bombay Times, Dipika spoke about her second innings in showbiz, political career, failure in Bollywood and more.

(By: Tanvi Trivedi)

There were pros and cons of portraying Sita. I became a household name, but the image of Sita went against me because after that, I was offered similar roles on TV. I wasn’t glamorous like Zeenat Aman or Hema Malini, and maybe that’s why I was not approached for big roles in films.

I took up a role in a historical show because it gave me a chance to do something different. I also moved to regional cinema, but it wasn’t easy, as I could not speak South Indian languages. After a point, I gave up.

In those days, I refrained from even wearing nail polish and lipstick and I used to chop my nails whenever I was on set. I remember Hema Maliniji calling the Sagars and telling them to ask me not to wear any lipstick, as that would make my character look more real.

She entered politics as a Member of Parliament (from 1991 to 1996). Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala says that she had received “everything on a platter”. But post her marriage to industrialist Hemant Topiwala, she preferred to focus on her personal life and disappeared from the limelight.

Fame, TV shows and even a career in politics came on a platter, but the day I got married, my dreams changed and my other ambitions took a backseat. I wanted to be a hands-on mom. Being a politician would not have allowed me to be at home when my daughters needed me. I was also working with my husband at that time and he suggested that I stick to one thing. So, after I finished my term in the Parliament, I gave up my seat. I did win the election, but I had developed cold feet and got nervous about becoming a politician.

When we did a show in those days, we never took up any other work. So, it never clashed with my image and that’s why perhaps, our roles are still remembered. The actresses are good now, but they look like heroines and not the characters that they are playing. The glamour element is stronger than looking the part.

My children are grown up now and though I don’t mind playing mother on TV, I should not just be a part of the décor in the show. The supernatural genre is dominant right now and people are watching those shows, so there is no way you can stop making them, but I will never become a naagin (laughs!). Having said I would love to do a costume drama like a mythological or historical show, and also, films.

Dipika Chikhalia aka Sita of the original Ramayan: Hema Maliniji told makers that my character shouldn’t wear lipstick to maintain authenticity