South actress Sai Pallavi recently stepped into Bollywood with Ek Din opposite Junaid Khan. While the film failed to leave an impact at the box office, the actress also found herself at the centre of online criticism over her Hindi pronunciation and noticeable Tamil accent during promotions and in the film itself.
Related Story: Ek Din: Sai Pallavi admits she felt ‘miscast’; Junaid Khan says he’ll always be known as Aamir Khan’s son
Interestingly, Sai Pallavi had earlier admitted she felt “miscast” in the project after watching the film. Now, fresh reports claim that the makers of her next big-ticket venture, Ramayana, are reconsidering how her dialogues will be presented on screen.
Ramayana Team Wants A More Neutral Hindi Tone?
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and backed by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is being mounted as one of Indian cinema’s grandest mythological spectacles. Sai Pallavi plays Devi Sita opposite Ranbir Kapoor, who essays Lord Rama.
According to an ABP News report, the filmmakers are reportedly considering dubbing Sai Pallavi’s dialogues to ensure the language sounds more refined and universally neutral, keeping in mind the scale and cultural significance of the film.
Unlike Ek Din, where her character was deliberately written as a Tamilian, Ramayana allegedly demands a more polished Hindi delivery for the portrayal of Sita.
Viral Clips Fuel Online Reactions
The conversation around Sai Pallavi’s Hindi intensified after clips from an Ek Din promotional event circulated widely on social media. While some users questioned her suitability for Ramayana, others defended her and argued that language barriers have long existed in Indian cinema.
One user wrote, “Meet Sai Pallavi: Can’t speak basic words of Hindi. Now she’s playing Sita Mata in Ramayana.”
Another commented, “I think Sai Pallavi did this film just to get better with the Hindi dialogues and pronunciation for the role of Sita in the upcoming Ramayana.”
A third user remarked, “What was Nitesh Tiwari even thinking while casting Sai Pallavi for Sita maa’s role, who can’t even speak proper Hindi? Horrendous casting man.”
Fans Rally Behind Sai Pallavi
Despite the criticism, several fans came out strongly in support of Sai Pallavi, reminding critics that dubbing has always been a common practice across Indian cinema. Many argued that performance and screen presence matter more than linguistic perfection, especially in large-scale multilingual projects.
Meanwhile, anticipation surrounding Ramayana continues to soar. Besides Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, the film features Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman.
