Dr. D. Maheswari at 06:36, 24 February 2026

2026-02-24T06:36:38Z

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{{short description|Indian television actress (born 1965)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Dipika Chikhlia
| image = Dipika Chikhlia in 2021 (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 220
| caption = Chikhlia in 2021
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|04|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Mumbai|Bombay, Maharashtra]], India
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start = 1991
| term_end = 1996
| constituency = [[Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency|Baroda, Gujarat]]
| predecessor = [[Prakash Brahmbhatt]]
| successor = [[Satyajitsinh Gaekwad]]
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 =
| constituency2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Actress]]|[[politician]]}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Hemant Topiwala|1991}}
| children = {{ubl|Nidhi Topiwala (daughter)|Juhi Topiwala (daughter)}}
| parents = Rajesh Chikhalia (father)
| source = http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/3622.htm
}}

'''Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala''' (born 29 April 1965) is an Indian actress and politician best known for playing [[Sita]] in [[Ramanand Sagar]]'s 1987 television series ''[[Ramayan (1987 TV series) | Ramayan]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/3622.htm |title=Member Profile: 10th Lok Sabha |work=Lok Sabha |access-date=8 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517013929/http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/3622.htm |archive-date=17 May 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://entertainment.in.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3219065 |title=Deepika, Amit Dua, Puneet on Bigg Boss' radar - TV - Entertainment - MSN India |access-date=13 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915175026/http://entertainment.in.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3219065 |archive-date=15 September 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> She made her debut with ''Sun Meri Laila'' (1983), opposite [[Raj Kiran (Bollywood actor)|Raj Kiran]]. She made three Hindi films with [[Rajesh Khanna]], ''[[Rupaye Dus Karod]]'', ''[[Ghar Ka Chiraag]]'' and ''[[Khudai]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/ramayans-sita-aka-dipika-chikhalias-real-life-wedding-was-attended-by-this-bollywood-superstar-see-pic/articleshow/75369401.cms |title=Ramayan's Sita aka Dipika Chikhalia's real life wedding was attended by this Bollywood superstar; see pic - Times of India |website=[[The Times of India]]|date=25 April 2020 }}</ref>

She did one Malayalam film ''[[Ithile Iniyum Varu]]'' (1986), with [[Mammootty]], her Kannada hits were ''[[Hosa Jeevana]]'' (1990) with [[Shankar Nag]] and ''[[Indrajith (1989 film)|Indrajith]]'' (1989) with [[Ambareesh]]. She had one Tamil hit film, ''[[Naangal]]'' (1992), with [[Prabhu (actor)|Prabhu]], and one Bengali hit film, ''[[Asha O Bhalobasha]]'' (1989), opposite [[Prosenjit Chatterjee]].

==Career==
===Early career===
Chikhlia made her debut as lead actress in ''Sun Meri Laila'' (1983), opposite [[Raj Kiran (actor)|Raj Kiran]]. She was part of the television serial ''Dada Daadi Ki Kahani'' in 1985. She also did supporting roles in hit films like ''Bhagwan Dada'' (1986), ''Kala Dhanda Goray Log'' (1986) and ''Doorie'' (1989) and played lead heroine in the horror film ''Cheekh'' (1986) and ''Raat Ke Andhere Mein'' (1987).{{Citation needed|date= February 2022}}

===Success (1987-95)===
Later in 1987, Chikhlia played the female lead role of [[Sita]] in [[Ramanand Sagar]]'s television series ''[[Ramayan (1987 TV series)|Ramayan]]''. Before starring in Ramayan, she 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 Chiraag]]'' and ''[[Khudai]]''. Her Kannada film, [[Hosa Jeevana]], 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 (actor)|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 after 1992, as ''Sanam Aap Ki Khatir'' (1992) flopped, which had her as main lead heroine, she only got supporting roles in Hindi films.{{Citation needed|date= February 2022}}

===Later career===
Chikhlia was also seen in the TV serial ''Chutta Chheda'' (2017) on Colors Gujarati channel. The Gujarati film [[Natsamrat (2018 film)]] was released in 2018.

She was last seen in the movie ''[[Bala (2019 film)|Bala]]'' as Pari's ([[Yami Gautam]]) mother.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/bala-a-cracker-of-a-film-powered-by-hair-apparent-ayushmann-khurrana/cid/1717854 |title='Bala': A cracker of a film, powered by 'hair' apparent Ayushmann Khurrana |website=The Telegraph (India) |language=en |access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> In 2020, she was in talks to play the freedom fighter [[Sarojini Naidu]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ramayan's 'Sita' Dipika Chikhlia set to play Sarojini Naidu; shares first look |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/ramayans-sita-dipika-chikhalia-set-to-play-sarojini-naidu-shares-first-look/articleshow/75617428.cms |access-date=8 May 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=8 May 2020}}</ref>

In August 2023, she has turned producer with the TV show [[Dhartiputra Nandini]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-16 |title=I did not want to play a maa or saas on TV, but in my own production, I am playing a grandmother because the role appealed to me: Dipika Chikhlia |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/i-did-not-want-to-play-a-maa-or-saas-on-tv-but-in-my-own-production-i-am-playing-a-grandmother-because-the-role-appealed-to-me-dipika-chikhlia/articleshow/102764130.cms |access-date=2024-03-05 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=Dipika Chikhlia All Set For Grand TV Comeback After 33 Years With This Serial |url=https://www.news18.com/movies/dipika-chikhlia-all-set-for-grand-tv-comeback-after-33-years-with-this-serial-8540970.html |access-date=2024-03-05 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref>

==Politics==
Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala followed up her television and film career with a move into politics, becoming a Member of Parliament in the Indian [[Lok Sabha]] from [[Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency|Baroda constituency]] in 1991 as a [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] candidate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/celebrity/story/remember-deepika-chikhalia-tv-original-sita-ramayan-heres-what-she-doing-now-lifetv-1084346-2017-11-11 |title=Remember Deepika Chikhalia, TV's original Sita? Here's what she's doing now |date=11 November 2017 |website=India Today |language=en-US |access-date=12 March 2018}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

On 23 November 1991, Dipika married Hemant Topiwala,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://khabridost.in/deepika-chikhalia |title=Deepika Chikhalia |website=khabridost.in |language=en-us |access-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313092937/https://khabridost.in/deepika-chikhalia |archive-date=13 March 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> owner of Shingar Bindi and Tips and Toes Cosmetics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=313168119&capId=79068793&previousCapId=&previousTitle= |title=Hemant Topiwala: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg |website=bloomberg.com |access-date=12 March 2018}}</ref> They have two daughters: Nidhi Topiwala and Juhi Topiwala.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2009/09/20&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=12&EntityId=Pc01211&AppName=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205034455/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2009/09/20&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=12&EntityId=Pc01211&AppName=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 December 2009 |title=Where are they now? Deepika Chikhalia |access-date=21 November 2009}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{BLP sources section|date=May 2020}}
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Film !! Language !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1983 || ''Sun Meri Laila'' || [[Hindi cinema|Hindi]] || ||
|-
| 1985 || ''[[Paththar]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Patthar (1985) Cast - Actor, Actress, Director, Producer, Music Director |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/patthar-5922/cast-crew |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Cinestaan}}</ref>|| Hindi || Chameli||
|-
| 1986 || ''Cheekh'' || Hindi || ||
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Bhagwaan Dada]]'' || Hindi || Shanti ||
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Ghar Sansar]]'' ||Hindi || ||
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Ithile Iniyum Varu]]'' || [[Malayalam cinema|Malayalam]] || Priya ||
|-
| 1987 || ''Raat Ke Andhere Mein'' || Hindi || Sexy Rosie ||
|-
| 1987 || ''Sajanwa Bairi Bhaile Hamar'' || [[Bhojpuri cinema|Bhojpuri]]|| ||
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Indrajith (1989 film)|Indrajith]]'' || [[Kannada cinema|Kannada]] ||Usha ||
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Ghar Ka Chiraag]]'' || Hindi || Asha ||
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Asha O Bhalobasha]]'' || [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali]] || Rupa||
|-
| 1989 || ''Yamapasam'' || [[Telugu cinema|Telugu]] || ||
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Hosa Jeevana]]'' || Kannada || Sita as wife of Shankarnag||
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Periya Idathu Pillai]]'' || [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]] || ||
|-
| 1991 || ''Kaala Chakra'' || Kannada || ||
|-
| 1991 || ''[[Brahmarshi Viswamitra]]'' || Telugu || ||
|-
| 1991 || ''[[Rupaye Dus Karod]]'' || Hindi || Ravi's secretary/Hastinapur Ki Rani ||
|-
| 1992 || ''[[Naangal]]'' || Tamil || ||
|-
| 1994 || ''Mayor Prabhakar'' || [[Kannada cinema|Kannada]] || ||
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Khudai]]'' || Hindi || Padmini Raj Anand ||
|-
| 1989 || ''Jode Rahejo Raj'' || [[Gujarati cinema|Gujarati]] || ||
|-
| 1992 || ''Laju Lakhan'' || Gujarati || ||
|-
| 2018|| ''[[Gaalib]]'' || Hindi || ||
|-
| 2018|| [[Natsamrat (2018 film)|''Natsamrat'']] || Gujarati || ||
|-
| 2019|| ''[[Bala (2019 film)|Bala]]'' || Hindi || Susheela Mishra (Pari's Mother) ||
|-
| 2022|| ''[[Hindutva Chapter One - Main Hindu Hoon]]''|| Hindi || Guru Maa||
|-
|2026
|''[[Veer Murarbaji]]''
|Marathi<br>Hindi
|[[Jijabai]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reunion of Sita Ram:Sita Ram of Ramayana is going to meet again |url=https://www.indiaherald.com/Movies/Read/994655299/Reunion-of-Sita-RamSita-Ram-of-Ramayana-is-going-to-meet-again |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=indiaherald.com |language=en}}</ref>
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Show !! Role !! Notes !! ref.
|-
|1985
|''[[Vikram Aur Betaal|Vikram Betal]]''
|Episodic Roles
|
| <ref>{{cite web |date=2020-04-26 |title='रामायण' से पहले इस शो में साथ काम कर चुके हैं 'लक्ष्मण और सीता', देखें वीडियो |url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/entertainment/tv-ramayan-laxman-and-sita-actors-sunil-lahri-deepika-chikhalia-appeared-in-ramanand-show-vikram-betal-utk-3053590.html |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=News18 हिंदी |language=hi}}</ref>
|-
| 1987
| rowspan = "2" | ''[[Ramayan (1987 TV series) | Ramayan]]''
| Devi [[Lakshmi]]
|
| rowspan="3" | <ref>{{cite web |last=Bureau |first=ABP News |date=2023-03-29 |title=Dipika Chikhlia Recreates Her Look As Sita From Ramayan, Shares Videos On Instagram |url=https://news.abplive.com/entertainment/television/dipika-chikhlia-recreates-her-look-as-sita-from-ramayan-shares-videos-on-instagram-1591899 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=news.abplive.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Exclusive- Dipika Chikhlia on her journey as Sita in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan: There has to be some kind of divine intervention that I ended up doing Sita's role |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/exclusive-dipika-chikhlia-on-her-journey-as-sita-in-ramanand-sagars-ramayan-there-has-to-be-some-kind-of-divine-intervention-that-i-ended-up-doing-sitas-role/photostory/106726342.cms |access-date=2024-03-14 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|-
| 1987–1988
| rowspan = "2" | [[Sita]]
|
|-
| 1988–1989
| ''[[Luv Kush]]''
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[The Sword of Tipu Sultan]]''
| Fatima Fakhrun Nisa
| [[Tipu Sultan]]'s mother
|
|-
| 2023–2024
| ''[[Dhartiputra Nandini]]''
| Sumitra Bharadwaj
|
| <ref>{{cite web |title=OG Sita Dipika Chikhlia visits Ayodhya's Ram Mandir ahead of TV show shoot |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/celebrity/story/ramayans-dipika-chikhlia-visits-ram-mandir-ahead-of-dhartiputra-nandini-shoot-2410569-2023-07-23 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=India Today |date=23 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date= 17 August 2023|title=Dipika Chikhlia returns to TV after 33 long years with Dhartiputra Nandini |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/tv/dipika-chikhlia-returns-to-tv-after-33-long-years-with-dhartiputra-nandini-2023-08-17-887277 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=indiatv |language=}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" |'''Special Appearance'''
|-
|2020
|''[[The Kapil Sharma Show]]''
|Herself
|as guest
|<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ahead of Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan rerun on TV, a look at major revelations made by the cast in The Kapil Sharma Show |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/ahead-of-ramanand-sagars-ramayan-rerun-on-tv-a-look-at-major-revelations-made-by-the-cast-in-the-kapil-sharma-show/photostory/101412432.cms |access-date=2024-03-14 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|-
|2020
|[[India's Best Dancer (Hindi season 1)|''India's Best Dancer season 1'']]
|Herself
|as guest
|<ref>{{Cite web |title='India's Best Dancer': 'Ramayan' actors Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhlia grace 'Mythological special' weekend |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/television/photo-gallery-india-s-best-dancer-ramayan-actors-arun-govil-and-deepika-chikhlia-grace-mythological-special-weekend-2843529 |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=www.dnaindia.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-09-17 |title=India's Best Dancer: Ramayan actors Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia grace the show; see pics |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/indias-best-dancer-ramayan-actors-arun-govil-and-dipika-chikhlia-grace-the-show-see-pics/articleshow/78165369.cms |access-date=2024-03-14 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|-
|2022
|''[[Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 10)|Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10]]''
|Herself
|as guest
|<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-20 |title=Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10: Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia grace the Diwali special episode; Rubina as Draupadi and Nia as Maa Kaali leave everyone stunned |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/jhalak-dikhhla-jaa-10-arun-govil-and-dipika-chikhlia-grace-the-diwali-special-episode-rubina-as-draupadi-and-nia-as-maa-kaali-leave-everyone-stunned/articleshow/94990737.cms |access-date=2024-03-14 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/3622.htm Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
* {{IMDb name|id=0214355|name=Deepika Chikhalia}}
* {{facebook|dipikact}}
* {{Instagram|dipikachikhliatopiwala}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chikhalia, Deepika}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Gujarati actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Kannada cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian television actresses]]
[[Category:India MPs 1991–1996]]
[[Category:Politicians from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Women in Gujarat politics]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Bengali cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Gujarati cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Bhojpuri cinema]]
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:1965 births]]

Dipika Chikhlia - Revision history

Dr. D. Maheswari at 06:36, 24 February 2026