Ramayan's Dipika Chikhlia Slams Kriti Sanon Over Kiss Controversy, Says 'We Couldn't Even Hug Anyone'

Veteran actor Dipika Chikhlia slammed Kriti Sanon and others younger actors saying they do not feel emotions of a role.

Photo courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: Dipika Chikhlia, who played the role of Sita in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, has reacted to the recent controversy which took place after the 'Adipurush' director Om Raut was seen kissing actor Kriti Sanon on her cheeks in Tirupati temple premises. Dipika who immortalised the role of Sita, expressed her displeasure over the incident and slammed the actor saying 'Kriti might have not thought of herself as Sita.'

For the unversed, Kriti is essaying the role of 'Janaki' in Om Raut's pan-India release 'Adipurush', which is all set to arrive in theatres on June 16, 2023. Dipika's comment came after the video featuring Om Raut and Kriti Sanon's goodbye kiss at the Tirupati temple sparked an outrage on the internet. 

Director Om Raut kissing Kriti Sanon (who Played Sita ji ) Out side Tirupati mandir created controversy
__#WTCFinal2023 #Adipurush #AdipurushTrailer2 #KritiSanon #OmRaut #Prabhas #BhushanKumar #FarmersProtest #WTC2023 #Ashwin #RohitSharma #Disgraceful #luchnowcourt #Kolhapur pic.twitter.com/t6afK04hLr — _______ ____ _ (@Deshpremiindia) June 8, 2023

Speaking to Aaj Tak, Dipika said, "Kriti is an actor of today’s generation and in today’s time, kissing and hugging is seen as a sweet gesture. She never thought of herself as Sita.” Dipika said that when she was playing the character, she “lived as Sita but the actors of today, think of it as a character. They don’t bother after the film is over."

Dipika recalled that during the 1980s, when Ramayan was on air, no one would even call the actors by their name. "When we were in character on the set, people would come and touch our feet. That was a different time. People did not think of us as actors, they thought of us as gods. We couldn’t even hug anyone, kissing is beyond the question. After the release of Adipurush, the actors will get busy with their next project and will forget about their characters but this never happened with us," she said.

She added that they were "treated like we are gods who have come to live in this world. That is the reason why we never did anything that would hurt the sentiments of the people."

Meanwhile, BJP state secretary Ramesh Naidu Nagothu had also reacted to the incident and shared the screenshot on the clip featuring Kriti and Om Raut, and criticised the action. He shared a now-deleted tweet writing, "Engaging in public displays of affection, like kissing and hugging in front of the Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala is deemed disrespectful and unacceptable."

Dipika played the lead role of Goddess Sita in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. Actor Arun Govil played the role of Lord Rama. The show was aired on the Doordarshan channel in the late 80s.