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‘Why such distortion?’: Sai Pallavi’s Sita battles demons in Ramayana, sparks backlash

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 05 Nov 2026 9 min ago

New Delhi: Nitesh Tiwari’s has finally hit the theatres, and while the film is getting mixed reactions, one particular scene has ignited a fresh debate online. This time, it’s Sai Pallavi’s portrayal of Sita that is grabbing attention. The actress is shown fighting demons alongside Ranbir Kapoor’s Lord Rama, and this artistic choice has not gone down well with everyone.

The scene has also been slammed by a section of social media users who claim Sita was not in the battle against Khara and Dushana in the Valmiki Ramayana. Some, however, defended the filmmaker’s choice, stating that certain versions of the epic depict Sita as a strong warrior.

So, what’s the controversy all about, and what do the scriptures actually say? Here’s a closer look.

Sai Pallavi’s Sita fighting demons sparks controversy

Ever since the first look of the was unveiled, Sai Pallavi has faced criticism from sections of the internet over her portrayal of Sita. Now, with the film’s release on November 5, a scene featuring her fighting alongside Lord Rama has become the latest talking point. The sequence shows Sita helping Rama fight the demon army of Khara and Dushana when they are in exile in the forest.

For some viewers, the scene is a refreshing take on Sita’s character. But others believe it changes an important episode from the traditional telling of the .

One person wrote, “I hv seen Ramayan before but never saw Sita ji fighting & as per scriptures also Ram ji asked Lakshman ji to take away sita ji before this fight. They add such sequence to make independent strong women happy. Why Hindu guru keep quiet on such distortion?”

One social media user slammed the scene, writing, “Another fraud from #Ramayana, or should I say Scamyana. We’re seeing Sita Maa fight here, helping Shri Ram fight the 14,000-strong demon army of Khara and Dushana, while according to scriptures, Shri Ram fought all of them alone, sending Lakshman and Sita Maa away.”

Another person commented, “Uhhhh, Lord Rama fought the whole army alone… the description of the fight in the Ramayana is brutal. He was covered in the blood of those demons. Maa Sita was feminine, and Lord Ram would never let her enter the battlefield.”

A third user reacted, “First in my bloodline to know that Sita Mata fought with demons.”

However, not everyone agreed with the criticism. But some viewers pointed out that the warrior image of Sita is based on other versions of the epic.

Defending the scene, one user wrote, “Why do people have a problem with Sita Maa’s warrior appearance? In Adbhuta Ramayana, another version of the original Ramayana written by Valmiki, Sita Maa is described as a fierce divine force who destroys raakshasas.”

Did Sita fight demons alongside Lord Rama Ramayana?

In the Valmiki Ramayana, Lord Rama fights with Khara, Dushana and their army. Before the confrontation, Rama tells Lakshman to take Sita to safety. The episode does not tell of Sita joining Rama on the battlefield or fighting demons at his side.

Other incidents of the forest exile, like the encounter with Viradha and the episode of Shurpanakha are also related in the story. But the Ramayana has been retold in different languages and traditions over centuries, and not every version presents its characters in exactly the same way.

One such text is the Adbhuta Ramayana, wherein Sita plays a much stronger part. In this version, Sita is portrayed as a manifestation of divine Shakti. During a confrontation involving the thousand-headed Ravana, also known as Sahasra Ravana, she assumes a fierce form associated with Mahakali and defeats the demon.

While this version presents Sita as a warrior, the episode is different from the battle against Khara and Dushana shown in Tiwari’s film.

Nitesh Tiwari explains why he gave Sita a warrior avatar

Interestingly, director Nitesh Tiwari had already addressed the decision to give Sita action sequences before the film’s theatrical release. Speaking to international media at the Los Angeles premiere of Ramayana, the filmmaker explained that the team had drawn inspiration from different versions of the epic while deciding how to portray certain characters.

He said, “So, she does have action in hers too. We are very clear that there are certain things, certain characters where we can take liberties, and there are certain characters where we just should not be taking any liberty. So, like Lord Ram, you know, in every version that we have in our country, he is Lord Ram.”

Explaining the inspiration behind Sita’s warrior portrayal, Tiwari added, “Maa Sita has, somewhere, like you mentioned, the warrior version. She, in Adbhuta Ramayana, is portrayed as a warrior princess. That element we took from there, which kind of adds a nice dimension to her as a character.”

About Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi’s Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana: Part One was released worldwide on November 5, 2026. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. Mounted on a reported combined budget of Rs 4,000 crore for the two-part project, Ramayana is among the most ambitious Indian film productions. The second instalment is planned for a Diwali 2028 release.

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