Deepika Chikhalia said- If I want, I can do many web series: Said- There are abuses in it, the image of Sita does not allow doing this

These days Deepika is working in Chikhaliya Topiwala serial ‘Dhartiputra Nandini’. She is also the producer of the show. It was initially challenging for Deepika, who was becoming popular in the role of Sumitra. Despite doing all this, even today people know her only as Sita of ‘Ramayana’, which was a different kind of struggle for her.

Even before playing the role of Sita, Deepika struggled a lot for 10 years, about which very few people would know. Deepika has a special conversation with Dainik Bhaskar about her new show and journey.

Deepika said that if she wants, she can easily work in any web series, but her image of Sita does not allow this. According to Deepika, a lot of abusive and objectionable languages ​​are used in web series etc., hence she cannot work in such shows.

What kind of response are you getting for ‘Dhartiputra Nandini’?
“Very good TRP has come. Our show is doing best at the moment. Very happy. I told everyone that I have returned to television after 30 years, please watch our show. The way you saw me in ‘Ramayana’ Was there and liked it, similarly this time you will see it in my own production ‘Dhartiputra Nandini’.

People are really watching and giving love too. I want this news to go across the country and more and more people see it.”

How do you feel the dual responsibility of producing and acting?
Don’t even ask about responsibility, because now I know what the responsibility of production is, otherwise till now it was a great pleasure to go to the set. She used to apply make-up, wear nice clothes, we were given dialogues, we had to get into the character and speak the lines.

I have been working as an actor for the last 35 years, so acting is very easy for me, but making serials under production and acting has been a tough journey for me.

If you look, I have dimples under my eyes. Director, actor, script, TRP, everything comes under the responsibility of production. The initial days were very tough for me. It has been the grace of Ramji that I have always met good people. Work is good in the company of good people. The channel is also good, which is very co-operative. When a lady enters the world of men, she has in her mind that she has to make a name and a path for herself.

Deepika said- I always maintained the dignity of Sita ji.
My personal life has never been personal. I am on the screen, I am not there, I have not done acting, still I am Sitaji. This struggle in personal life has always been there. When I went to drop or pick up my children from school, everyone kept an eye on me. The way I talk, the clothes I wear, everything I do keeps an eye on people.

After playing the role of Sita, I have never forgotten my responsibility. I never broke that image. Whether I have been in the industry or not. I have always maintained the dignity of Sita ji. Maybe that’s why people respect me more, because it is a huge sacrifice. When people go to Goa etc., they wear anything, but I have not been able to do that.

Because I did not want any other image of mine to be created where there would be debate. I feel that God has given me a role which should be respected. This is my duty and I have fulfilled it. There has been a struggle for these things, but people have given so much love that that struggle seems small. Very happy to receive people’s love.”

You have worked in superhit shows like Vikram and Betal. How much struggle did it take to reach here?
“The last body of work of my career is Ramayana. Before this I have been in the industry for 10 years. I was very young when I did the first film ‘Sun Meri Laila’ as a heroine. This film of Rajshree Production is so special. It didn’t work. After that I did two-three guest appearance roles. Did a lot of regional pictures. I was waiting for good things, because I knew that somewhere in my life something good was written.

Everyone in my family are educated chartered accountants. The family members thought that now that they had done a picture as a hobby, the matter would be over. But he realized that I had to make a career in this only.

I did pictures with top level actors in the South, but I wanted a national frame somewhere. After this, I got a call from Sooraj Barjatya from Rajshree Production that we are doing the serial ‘Paying Guest’. He said he wants to cast you in an episode. Because he introduced me, I said I will definitely do it. I did that one episode and it was there at Natraj Studio that we met the Sagar family.

On his invitation, I went to his office during lunch break. He offered to work together. I said I will definitely do it. After a few days the offer for ‘Ramayana’ came. But he had to see my film. At that time I had the cassette of ‘Sun Meri Laila’, I showed it to him. He also liked it.

It was also mentioned in the paper that C is the uncrowned queen of television and she had become famous accordingly. When my grandparents came to me, I liked their working environment very much. We used to shoot on chroma on the ground floor of his bungalow, so we had to go to very few studios. Meanwhile he started ‘Vikram Betal’. I did not have a date, but somehow managed the date and did this show because Ramanand Sagar wanted me to work in this show also.

The connection between TV and film was going on when it came to light that casting for ‘Ramayana’ was taking place. Our art director was Haribhai. He said why don’t you give a screen test. Why should I give a screen test? I am shooting day and night for your production, so they see me every day while shooting and editing. They would know what I would look like as a princess.

He said that he is Ramanand Sagar (Papaji). He has some visions for Sita. You give it, what difference does it make? During lunch time, Haribhai told Papaji to take his screen test as per my request. He asked me whether you would play the role of Sita. I said, why wouldn’t I? Then he said that he would have to give a screen test, because Sita is not just a princess, Sita’s character is very big. I said ok.

Let me tell you that I can cry naturally. I slowly come near the camera, then my eyes fill with tears, but I do not let tears fall, because Sita is a very strong character. This is how I handled the whole thing. After cutting he said – This is Sitaji of my serial. This is how my Sitaji’s journey began. For some reason or the other there has always been struggle in my life. But God has always blessed.

There was a journey of 10 years between ‘Sun Meri Laila’ and ‘Ramayana’. Tell us any story of struggle during this period?
“It was very simple in those days. It was still easy to get work in those days. There were no auditions. The producer-director used to fix the signing amount by giving us a signing amount. If we liked the role, we would sign it, otherwise we would move ahead.

The first time I gave a screen test for ‘Sun Meri Laila’ and the second time for Sita. After this I never had to give a screen test. This screen test issue has just started. When I returned to the industry six years ago, people used to say that ma’am, this is not your screen text, this is your look text.

We want to see how you would look in this character. Then they give dialogues. We have to prepare it on mobile and send it. This process of struggle has now started again. It’s starting to get a little corporate now. Everything is happening in one system. Now casting directors have come, so directors are not involved in casting at all. Only the casting director casts. I say it is corporate.

In those days, there used to be secretaries who lived on commission or monthly salary basis. His job was to call different producers and directors every day to let them know if there was any work to be done. I also hired a secretary. But my work has always been direct. I don’t remember any work coming through the secretary.”