Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala, best known for playing Lord Ram and Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic television series ‘Ramayan’ (1987), are set to reunite for their first feature film together in nearly 39 years. Titled ‘Notice’, the film is directed by Pradeep Gupta and will premiere on OTT on November 6, ahead of Govil’s appearance as King Dashrath in ‘Ramayana: Part 1′, scheduled for release on November 8.
Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia play a modern-day Ram and Sita in ‘Notice’
Producer-actor Aditya Pratap Singh Raghuvanshi describes ‘Notice’ as a contemporary take on the relationship between Ram and Sita. Set in a village, the story follows Govil’s character, an ordinary man who takes on a corrupt system in his fight for justice. Chikhlia plays his wife, who stands by him through the struggle.Explaining the story’s central premise, Raghuvanshi told Mid-Day, “The story has a 150-year-old shop at its centre. All those who have lost their homes or shops due to development will identify with it. And who can tell this story better than Ram and Sita? Where there is a fight between truth and untruth, Ram and Sita’s jodi has to be there. You can call it a modern-day Ramayan.”The film uses the couple’s familiar on-screen association to tell a story about ordinary people confronting injustice and the consequences of development. Their reunion is also notable for viewers who remember them as Ram and Sita in the 1987 television classic.
Why ‘Notice’ is releasing on OTT
‘Notice’ will begin streaming on Waves on November 6. Explaining the decision to opt for a digital release, Raghuvanshi said the team wanted to reach audiences across the country, particularly those who grew up watching Govil and Chikhlia on television.“We wanted a good OTT reach and Waves has a huge subscriber base. The audiences that go to the theatre today have an urban mindset, but Arunji and Dipikaji’s fans are from TV. We thought of reaching the movie through mobiles so that the entire country can appreciate our story and their pairing. Notice will also air on 36 satellite channels,” he said.The release strategy is intended to make the film accessible to viewers beyond theatrical audiences, while also allowing the reunion of the two actors to reach fans familiar with their earlier television roles.
Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia’s earlier reunion
Although ‘Notice’ marks their first feature-film collaboration in nearly four decades, Govil and Chikhlia reunited in 2024 for the music video ‘Humare Ram Aaye Hai’.Their enduring association with ‘Ramayan’ has remained a defining part of their careers. With ‘Notice’, the actors return to the screen together in a different setting, this time portraying a married couple navigating a contemporary struggle for justice.Govil is also set to appear as King Dashrath in ‘Ramayana: Part 1’, adding another mythological project to his upcoming slate.
