In the early days of Indian cinema, women rarely acted in films, and male actors often portrayed female characters. In 1917, Anna Salunke famously played both Ram and Sita in a film adaptation of the Ramayana—a unique feat for its time.
Representational Image
Mumbai: The first look of Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and directed by Nitesh Tiwari, has sparked excitement among fans online. While Sai Pallavi is set to essay the role of Sita in the upcoming film releasing this Diwali, the character of Sita has been portrayed by several legendary actors across generations, evolving with time and mediums.
Sita in Early Cinema
In the early days of Indian cinema, women rarely acted in films, and male actors often portrayed female characters. In 1917, Anna Salunke famously played both Ram and Sita in a film adaptation of the Ramayana-a unique feat for its time.
Ramayana’s Iconic Role of Sita: Who played Sita before Sai Pallavi?
Durga Khote: Pioneering Actress as Sita
The first prominent female actor to portray Sita was Durga Khote, in the Bengali film Sita, with Prithviraj Kapoor playing Ram. Later, in 1943, Shobhana Samarth took on the role in the film Ram Rajya, continuing the legacy of strong Sita portrayals.
Sita Across Regional Cinema
The role of Sita has been brought to life in multiple languages:
Padmini - Tamil film Sampoorna Ramayanam
Sridevi - Tamil film Dasavatharam (1976)
Jaya Prada - Telugu films Sita Kalyanam and Sitarama Vanavasam
Television’s Most Iconic Sita
On the small screen, Deepika Chikhalia became synonymous with Sita through Ramanand Sagar’s legendary Ramayana series, a portrayal still fondly remembered today. More recently, Kriti Sanon played Sita in the film Adipurush.
OG Sita Dipika Chikhlia Praises Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana Teaser, Calls It ‘Grand and Beautiful’
Sai Pallavi: The New Face of Sita
In the upcoming Ramayana, Sai Pallavi steps into the role of Sita, sharing screen space with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Yash as Ravana. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, the film teaser has already captivated audiences, though it primarily highlights Lord Rama. Sita’s character, central to the epic, remains indispensable—without her, the story of the Ramayana is incomplete.
