9 Actresses Who Played Sita In 100 Years From Durga Ghote To Sai Pallavi

Since the very beginning of the cinema world, films started being made on epics like the Ramayana. Later, when the small screen emerged, several serials were also created on the Ramayana. Even Lanka Dahan, the second film by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, known as the father of Indian cinema, was based on the Ramayana, while however, in that film, a male actor played the role of Maa Sita. Meanwhile, legendary actress Durga Ghote played Sita for the first time ever in any motion picture. Recently, South Indian actress Sai Pallavi has played this character in the latest Ramayana film.

Over time, the style of portraying Maa Sita on screen has also evolved, while in the recently released Ramayana, Sita isn't only depicted as gentle and pious but also presented as a supreme scholar and a warrior. This also feels relatable according to the ethos of that era. However, this has also sparked debates. While some people don't seem satisfied with this portrayal of Maa Sita, those who are defending it cite the 300 versions of the Ramayana and its various regional practices and beliefs. Despite the debate, no major controversy has been witnessed regarding this. Below is the complete detail of the actresses who have played the role of Maa Sita on the big and small screens throughout the 100-year history of Indian cinema.

Durga Ghote

Legendary Bollywood actress Durga Ghote played the role of Maa Sita in the film Sita released in the year 1934. It was made focusing entirely on the life of Maa Sita. The film was directed by Debaki Kumar Bose. Prithviraj Kapoor appeared as Lord Ram in the film, while Trilok Kapoor was seen in the role of Luv. Also, the film also featured Mukhtar Begum and Gul Hamid. This movie is considered very significant in the early and historical phase of Indian cinema, bringing various aspects of Maa Sita's life to life on screen and receiving appreciation from audiences.

Shobhana Samarth

Shobhana Samarth played the role of Maa Sita in the film Ram Rajya released in the year 1943. Prem Adib played the role of Lord Ram in it, while Badri Prasad appeared in the role of Rishi Valmiki. The film was directed and produced by Vijay Bhatt, while its music was composed by Shankarrao Vyas, while the film also featured roles by Aruna Rai, Bina Rai, and Kanhaiyalal. This portrayal of Maa Sita by Shobhana Samarth became immensely popular in its era, and the film achieved historic success at the box office, becoming an important part of the golden age of early Indian cinema.

Anita Guha

In the year 1961, Babubhai Mistry made a film named Sampoorna Ramayana. Music for this 3 hour and 3-minute film was given by Vasant Desai and Bharat Vyas. Mahipal played the role of Lord Ram in the film, while Anita Guha appeared in the role of Maa Sita. The film also featured Lalita Pawar, Achala Sachdev, and Helen. Anita Guha's calm and serene face as Maa Sita settled into the hearts of the audience, and to this day, people remember her with great respect for this iconic character.

Jaya Prada

In the year 1976, a mythological film on the Ramayana came out titled Sita Kalyanam. This movie was released in 3 languages including Hindi, Telugu, and Malayalam. Ravi Kumar played the roles of Lord Ram and Lord Vishnu in the film. Meanwhile, Bollywood actress Jaya Prada played the characters of Maa Sita and Maa Lakshmi. Jaya Prada's beauty and poised acting style infused new life into the character of Maa Sita, which was immensely liked by audiences from South to North India.

Dipika Chikhlia

Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana released in the year 1987 is considered the most popular Ramayana in history so far. It was presented to the audience not on the big screen but in the form of a television serial consisting of 78 episodes. Dipika Chikhlia played the role of Maa Sita in it, and her character is still considered the most authentic and relatable portrayal of Maa Sita. During the broadcast of this serial, streets would fall silent and people would sit with folded hands in front of their television sets. Dipika Chikhlia's image became synonymous with Maa Sita in the Indian psyche.

Debina Bonnerjee

The television world subsequently witnessed a lot of work on the Ramayana. However, apart from Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana, only the 2008 Ramayana serial gained success and appreciation. In this, television actress Debina Bonnerjee played the role of Maa Sita, and fans appreciated her look as well. Gurmeet Chaudhary played the role of Lord Ram in it. Through their excellent chemistry and acting, this pair once again brought the mythological tale of the Ramayana to life on the small screen, receiving immense love from the younger generation of audiences as well.

Nayanthara

In the year 2011, the South Indian film Sri Rama Rajyam was released. The film was directed by Bapu, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja. This 2 hour and 26-minute film was released in Hindi, Telugu, and Malayalam. Nandamuri Balakrishna played the role of Lord Ram in it, while Akkineni Nageswara Rao played the role of Valmiki. Nayanthara brought the role of Maa Sita to the screen with immense grace and grandeur, earning high appreciation from regional cinema audiences.

Kriti Sanon

The 2023 film Adipurush proved to be the most controversial film made on the Ramayana in 100 years of history. The film succeeded in generating hype before its release and was made on a massive budget of 500 crores. Prabhas played the role of Lord Ram in this film, and Kriti Sanon was seen in the role of Maa Sita. However, this film failed to create an impact among fans and proved to be a box office flop. Due to tampering with dialogues, scenes, and history, the film faced massive protests, resulting in heavy financial losses at the box office.

Sai Pallavi

Now in the 2026 film Ramayana made with a budget of 4000 crores, Ranbir Kapoor has played the role of Lord Ram, and Sai Pallavi has appeared in the character of Maa Sita. The film is considered the biggest movie in history so far. It has been directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, while the film has collected 823 crores in just 6 days. All eyes are on this film's box office run. It's believed that its first part will break the all-time collection record of Dangal. The second part is scheduled to release in 2028. Thus, this journey from Durga Ghote to Sai Pallavi aptly portrays the evolution and changing facets of Maa Sita's characters in Indian cinema.