With the trailer of Ramayana releasing on July 24, Dipika Chikhalia, who became a household name after portraying Sita in Ramanand Sagarthe legendary television series, has shared his thoughts Sai Pallavi to step into the iconic role Nitesh Tiwarithe adaptation In an interview with Variety India, Deepika also spoke about it Arun GovilReturning to the Ramayana universe as King Dashrath, the lasting legacy of the original series and how to play Sita influenced the course of his career.When asked if Sai Pallavi played the role of Sita, Dipika described the actor as immensely talented but said it would be unfair to judge her casting before seeing her performance.“I have seen her work. She is a phenomenal actor. But I don’t know how she will look like Sita. Once we see her, we will know. At the moment, I have no idea. The description of Sita in Tulsidas’ Ramayan was that of a woman with almond eyes, a certain height, hair and complexion. This is what Ramanand Sagar was looking for, and he saw it in me. I know they are all good actors. If they fit the bill, fine,” he said.Deepika also gushed about Arun Govil, who portrayed Lord Ram alongside her in the TV classic and will now be seen as King Dashrath in Nitesh Tiwari’s film.Reflecting on the lasting impact of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, he said the serial remains deeply embedded in the public consciousness, especially after being rebroadcast during the COVID-19 lockdown.“We are known for who we are. I am known as Sita. Sometimes people forget my name, but they remember that I played Sita. So that is my identity. I don’t know why anyone would want to lose that. Of course, as an actor, you want to play different roles. Nobody wants to be typecast.”He continued, “I think our Ramayan will carry a lot of weight in the movie Ramayana. Our Ramayan was also seen by the new generation when it aired on Doordarshan during the pandemic. So it is very difficult to erase it. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan.Deepika also spoke candidly about the professional challenges she faced after being so closely associated with Sita. He said the popularity of the role ultimately limited the variety of characters he was offered.“I didn’t get work. In fact, I ask people for work even now. Ranbir has acted in Barfi, Sanju and Animal, and now he plays Lord Rama. That’s the beauty of today’s weather. It wasn’t like that in our day. They all fit us in. It’s still very hard to find a job because people don’t see me as anyone else. That’s why I got into production.”Talking about Yash’s casting as Ravana, Deepika expressed her confidence in the actor’s abilities while noting that Ramanand Sagar’s adaptation still holds a special place in the hearts of audiences.“I have seen some of Yash’s work. I am sure he will be dynamic. But the fact is that erasing the old Ramayan will be very difficult. Also, it is very recent. Had the film released 50 years later, people would have forgotten Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and the cast. Right now, it’s still very fresh in his mind.”Despite her remarks, Deepika wished success to the cast and crew and expressed confidence that the film would attract audiences.“These are all talented people. I’m sure it will be a film that people will want to watch at least once. The crux of Ramayan was that every actor who played this character fit the bill. This, along with Ravindra Jain’s music, was the reason for Ramayan’s success.”Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is planned as a two-part film adaptation of Valmiki’s epic. Movie stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Rakul Preet Singh, Kunal Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, Sheeba Chaddha and Adinath Kothare.