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Dipika Chikhlia returns to the screen after
24 years as the wife of a terrorist who is
hanged and leaves behind a young son; the
film is inspired by Afzal Guru's family.
After becoming a household name with
Ramanand Sagar's epic television series
Ramayan in which she played Sita to Arun
Govil's Ram, Dipika Chikhlia went on to
feature in a few films, including Ghar Ka
Chiraag (1989) and Rupaye Dus Karod
(1991) with Rajesh Khanna, before
disappearing into the blue. Now, Mirror has
learnt that the actress is all set to stage a
comeback with Manoj Giri's Gaalib, 24 years
after she was last seen on screen in Johny
Bakshi's Khudai. The film is reportedly
based on Afzal Guru's son Gaalib, with
Dipika playing his mother, Tabasum. "It is
not exactly Afzal Guru's story but the
character is similar to him. It's a mother-
son story, about what happens to a
terrorist's wife and child after he is hanged.
I wanted to do something different and
this role was worth making a comeback to
the screen,asserts Dipika who wrapped up
the first schedule in Allahabad and
Varanasi.
Is there a plan to meet Afzal Guru's family?
"Not at the moment but we plan to do so
when we go for the Kashmir schedule. We
are really keen, she admits.
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Dipika, who has been away from the film
industry for over two decades, insists she
didn't really miss being in front of the
camera. "I was so busy with my children
and family that I didn't really have the time.
After I got married, I was a member of
parliament for the first five years and then I
got busy with my kids. They were growing
up and I was completely focused on them. I
also paint professionally and hosted several
exhibitions. But when good offers started
coming in, I didn't want to miss out on
them, she explains, quick to add that she
will only do roles that require a good actor.
She admits that she was a little nervous
when she faced the camera again but the
moment the director shouted Action!', she
felt like she was back home. "Before that I
was apprehensive about whether I'd look
the part. This is why I even insisted on
doing a look test and had a discussion on
the script with the team well before we
started shooting. I didn't want to go on the
set unprepared, she reminisces.
Dipika exults that even after almost a
quarter of a century, people still recognise
her on the street. "I'm still called Sita. I have
got used to it by now. It's become my
second identity. I'm still in touch with my
Ramayan co-stars, Arun Govil, Sunil Lahri
who played Lakshman and the Sagar
family.
Quiz her on her self-imposed hibernation
and Dipika says that it was prompted
because she didn't want to get repetitive.
"Then I got into politics, got married and
just moved away from films. It wasn't a
conscious decision but now that I am back,
I want to satisfy my needs as an actor. I'm
really excited, she signs off with a smile.
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ramanand-sagars-sita-returns-to-play-terrorists-wife/articleshow/62329049.cms.
24 years as the wife of a terrorist who is
hanged and leaves behind a young son; the
film is inspired by Afzal Guru's family.
After becoming a household name with
Ramanand Sagar's epic television series
Ramayan in which she played Sita to Arun
Govil's Ram, Dipika Chikhlia went on to
feature in a few films, including Ghar Ka
Chiraag (1989) and Rupaye Dus Karod
(1991) with Rajesh Khanna, before
disappearing into the blue. Now, Mirror has
learnt that the actress is all set to stage a
comeback with Manoj Giri's Gaalib, 24 years
after she was last seen on screen in Johny
Bakshi's Khudai. The film is reportedly
based on Afzal Guru's son Gaalib, with
Dipika playing his mother, Tabasum. "It is
not exactly Afzal Guru's story but the
character is similar to him. It's a mother-
son story, about what happens to a
terrorist's wife and child after he is hanged.
I wanted to do something different and
this role was worth making a comeback to
the screen,asserts Dipika who wrapped up
the first schedule in Allahabad and
Varanasi.
Is there a plan to meet Afzal Guru's family?
"Not at the moment but we plan to do so
when we go for the Kashmir schedule. We
are really keen, she admits.
Relax & let us boost your
website traffic
Times Group
Dipika, who has been away from the film
industry for over two decades, insists she
didn't really miss being in front of the
camera. "I was so busy with my children
and family that I didn't really have the time.
After I got married, I was a member of
parliament for the first five years and then I
got busy with my kids. They were growing
up and I was completely focused on them. I
also paint professionally and hosted several
exhibitions. But when good offers started
coming in, I didn't want to miss out on
them, she explains, quick to add that she
will only do roles that require a good actor.
She admits that she was a little nervous
when she faced the camera again but the
moment the director shouted Action!', she
felt like she was back home. "Before that I
was apprehensive about whether I'd look
the part. This is why I even insisted on
doing a look test and had a discussion on
the script with the team well before we
started shooting. I didn't want to go on the
set unprepared, she reminisces.
Dipika exults that even after almost a
quarter of a century, people still recognise
her on the street. "I'm still called Sita. I have
got used to it by now. It's become my
second identity. I'm still in touch with my
Ramayan co-stars, Arun Govil, Sunil Lahri
who played Lakshman and the Sagar
family.
Quiz her on her self-imposed hibernation
and Dipika says that it was prompted
because she didn't want to get repetitive.
"Then I got into politics, got married and
just moved away from films. It wasn't a
conscious decision but now that I am back,
I want to satisfy my needs as an actor. I'm
really excited, she signs off with a smile.
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ramanand-sagars-sita-returns-to-play-terrorists-wife/articleshow/62329049.cms.
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