Deepika Chikhalia

Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala (born 29 April 1965) is an Indian actress who rose to fame playing Devi Sita in Ramanand Sagar's hit television serial Ramayan and was known for acting in other Indian historical TV serials. She was also known for her successful debut film Sun Meri Laila (1983), opposite Raj Kiran and 3 hit Hindi films with Rajesh Khanna, which were Rupaye Dus Karod, Ghar Ka Chiraag and Khudai. She did one Malayalam film Ithile Iniyum Varu (1986), with Mammootty, her Kannada hits were Hosa Jeevana (1990) with Shankar Nag and Indrajith (1989) with Ambarish. She had one Tamil hit film, Nangal (1992), with Prabhu, and one Bengali hit film, Asha O Bhalobasha (1989), opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee. She also had acted in few Gujarati movies like Jode Rahejo Raj and Laju Lakhan, oppositeGujarati Super Star Naresh Kanodia.

Early Career

Dipika made her debut as lead actress in Sun Meri Laila (1983), opposite Raj Kiran, but though her debut film was successful, she did not get A grade films till 1987. Chikhalia was part of the popular television serial Dada Daadi Ki Kahani in 1985. She meanwhile did supporting roles in hit films like Bhagwan Dada (1986), Kala Dhanda Goray Log (1986) and Doorie (1989) and played lead heroine in the B grade horrorfilm Cheekh (1986) and Raat Ke Andhere Mein (1987), which were box office duds.

Success (1987-95)

Later on in (1987), she played the female lead role of Sita in Ramanand Sagar's hit television series Ramayan, which gave her national fame. Before starring in Ramayan, Dipika was the part of Ramanand Sagar's Vikram Aur Betaal. She continued getting lead roles in hit TV serials like The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Luv Kush (both in 1989). Her only hits in Hindi films were Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989) and Rupaye Dus Karod (1991), both of which had Rajesh Khanna in the lead. She got more footage in the film Khudai, but the film was a commercial failure in 1994. She played the romantic lead of Rajesh Khanna in two films, Ghar Ka Chirag and Khudai. Her Kannada film as the lead heroine opposite Shankar Nag was a box office hit in 1990 and her Bengali films Asha O Bhalobasha (1989), opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee and Tamil film Naangal (1992) opposite Prabhu were box office hits. She also got a supporting role in a Malayalam movie, Ithile Iniyum Varu (1986), which had Mammootty in the lead. She met with limited success in Hindi films in the after 1992, as Sanam Aap Ki Khatir (1992) flopped, which had her in as main lead heroine, she only got supporting roles in Hindi films.

Chikhlia followed up her television and film career with a move into politics, riding her fame as a religious icon to an election victory as a Member of Parliament in the Indian Lok Sabha from Baroda constituency in 1991 as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate.

Later Career

Deepika was also seen in the TV serial Chutta Chheda (2017) on Colors Gujarati channel. The Gujarati film Nattsamrat is to be released in August 2018 and she will be seen in her upcoming Hindi movie Gaalib (2018-2019). Dipika Chikhlia is working again.

She was last seen in the movie Bala (November 2019) as Pari's (Yami Gautam) mother. In the upcoming biopic of freedom fighter - Sarojini Naidu, she will be seen playing the role of her.

Chikhlia grew up in Girnar Apartments, in the affluent Pali Hill area of Bandra, a suburb ofMumbai.

She is married to Hemant Topiwala, owner of Shingar Bindi and Tips and Toes cosmetics. They have two daughters, Nidhi Topiwala and Juhi Topiwala.