Ramayana Director Nitesh Tiwari Shuts Down Backlash Over Sai Pallavi’s Warrior Sita

Nitesh Tiwari has finally addressed the debate surrounding Sai Pallavi’s action sequences as Sita in Ramayana, explaining that his vision draws directly from lesser-known versions of the epic where she transcends passive endurance to embrace the role of a warrior. His show to also depict Sita as a warrior has attracted much conversation.

With viewers questioning the depiction of Sita in combat, Tiwari defended his creative choice in an interview with The Federal, pointing to ancient texts like the Sanskrit Adbhuta Ramayana and the 15th-century Odia Bilanka Ramayana. "These tellings offer a rather different image of Sita: not merely a figure of endurance but an active warrior and an embodiment of cosmic Shakti," he underlined. Tiwari noted that these texts depict Sita assuming the fierce form of Mahakali to vanquish the thousand-headed demon king Sahasra Ravana when Lord Rama is incapacitated, emphasizing that a "warrior Sita" is not a modern feminist fabrication, "but a character with precedents in India's diverse epic traditions."

Earlier, veteran actor Dipika Chikhlia, famed for portraying Mata Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, weighed in on the sequences. Acknowledging that over 300 versions of the epic exist across India, she admitted she could not recall Sita engaging in battle in the texts she knew best.

"I really don’t know. The memory that I have of Valmiki’s Ramayana and Tulsidas’ Ramayana, which was majorly a part of our Ramayan, I don’t remember that anywhere we had those kinds of scenes," Chikhlia told The Free Press Journal, adding that each retelling evokes distinct nuances and the filmmakers likely drew from a tradition unfamiliar to her.

Lara Dutta Backed Sita's Warrior Portrayal

Nitesh Tiwari is not the only figure linked to the film who has weighed in on the debate surrounding Sita’s action sequences. Lara Dutta, who portrays Kaikeyi in Ramayana, previously countered the backlash as well.

Exhorting audiences to approach the spectacle with an open mind during an interview with NDTV, Lara said, "Just enjoy the cinematic experience."

Pointing out that diverse retellings of the epic allow space for varied interpretations, she insisted that royal upbringing in that era encompassed combat skills regardless of gender. "And if you really looked at the way culture was in those times, boys and girls who were born into royal families, they were all, at some level, provided with training in arts and weaponry," Lara Dutta suggested.

She maintained that depicting Sita as skilled in combat is entirely plausible, particularly given the perils she had to navigate. "So I think it's not that far off or it's not that far-fetched to think that Sita was also possibly very much trained in the art of warfare. And especially, I mean, I just say that when you're put into a situation like that also as a woman, you're not going to be a helpless woman," she said.

Ramayana Cast, Release

Propelled by director Nitesh Tiwari, the epic production is a joint venture between Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. The film places its narrative on a power-packed trio. Ranbir Kapoor steps into the role of the righteous Prince Rama, Sai Pallavi portraying Sita, and charismatic Kannada icon Yash taking on the antagonist Ravana for his Hindi cinema debut. Tiwari co-wrote the adaptation with Shridhar Raghavan.

Rounding out the ambitious cinematic effort is the supporting cast that includes Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan, and Lara Dutta. Ramayana: Part One towers as one of the most extensive Indian theatrical releases of the year. The multi-lingual blockbuster hit theatres on November 5, across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam markets. The two-part saga is touted as one of India's most expensive productions ever. The second part is due to release in Diwali 2028.