Lara Dutta defends Sai Pallavi’s warrior Sita in Ramayana: ‘It's not that far-fetched'

Lara Dutta has defended Sai Pallavi's portrayal of the warrior Sita in the Ramayana film adaptation, arguing that a princess from that era would likely have been trained in combat. Speaking to NDTV, Dutta, who plays Kaikeyi in the movie, urged people to "stop being so small-minded" and embrace the cinematic experience. She noted that royal children, including daughters, were often taught both arts and weaponry in ancient times.

Dutta cited Sita's 14 years in the forest as proof of her resilience, suggesting that the character would pick up a weapon to defend herself if necessary. The debate over the film's depiction of Sita began after some viewers criticized the movie for taking creative liberties with a revered religious figure. Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna expressed his objections on his YouTube channel, stating that the scenes in which Sita fights demons deviate from the original Valmiki Ramayana.

However, Dutta is not the only cast member to defend the choice. Co-star Indira Krishnan also weighed in, asserting that every woman in the film has her own strength and none of them are portrayed as weak. The film, produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash, has already earned over Rs 1,000 crore worldwide in its first week since its November 5 release.