Mumbai, April 28: The iconic television series “Ramayana,” directed by Ramanand Sagar, continues to hold a special place in the hearts of viewers. Actors Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhaliya are still recognized as Lord Ram and Mother Sita, respectively. The show’s impact was so profound that even Rajiv Gandhi requested a VCR tape of it from Chikhaliya.
Landing the role of Mother Sita transformed Chikhaliya’s life, but it was not an easy journey. Born on April 29, 1965, in Mumbai, she had no idea that portraying Sita would change her destiny. Early in her career, she aspired to be a television actress despite the medium being looked down upon as an “idiot box.” This perception made her family hesitant about her decision to pursue television over films.
Chikhaliya began her career in 1980 with the TV series “Rishte-Nate,” followed by appearances in Ramanand Sagar’s “Dada-Dadi Ki Kahani” and “Vikram Betal.” During this time, she never imagined she would be called for an audition to play Mother Sita. The audition process was challenging; she competed against 40 other girls for the role. After several rounds, only a few remained, including Chikhaliya, who eventually signed on for the series after weeks of waiting.
In “Ramayana,” the portrayal of Lord Ram and Mother Sita was filled with love and devotion. However, in real life, Chikhaliya had limited interactions with her co-stars Arun Govil and Sunil Lahri. She revealed that Govil and Lahri were close friends, and she often kept to herself on set, conversing more with Ramanand Sagar’s wife and her son’s wife. Her conversations with Arvind Trivedi, who played Ravana, were also minimal.
After “Ramayana,” Chikhaliya’s life changed dramatically. Fans and elders would touch her feet to seek blessings. Devotees would perform aarti and offer her flowers. At an event in Mauritius, attendees even refused to let her and Govil touch the buffet, claiming the food was now impure. Consequently, separate pure food arrangements were made for them, but they had to go without food for an extended period.
–
PS/VC
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
Leave a Comment