Srinidhi Shetty came far closer to playing Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's epic retelling of Ramayana than audiences ever knew. The actor confirmed she met Tiwari's casting team and delivered a three-scene screen test for the part before Sai Pallavi secured the role. Speaking on Siddharth Kannan's podcast, Shetty acknowledged the quiet auditions that took place just as pre-production ramped up for the two-part spectacle starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and Kannada star Yash as Ravana.
Shetty cleared the audition. Tiwari's team liked the performance. But the timing felt off. Shetty had only just shared marquee space with Yash in KGF: Chapter 2, anchoring an intense screen romance as Rocky and Reena that pulled millions into theaters across India. Staring down the prospect of facing him across a mythical battlefield as captive and captor struck her as discordant casting math.
"I remember preparing the three scenes very well and performing them," Shetty stated, addressing industry speculation that had also linked Alia Bhatt to the role. "They also responded positively and loved my audition. But somewhere, I don't know, I had this feeling."
That hesitation boiled down to audience perception. Yash had already committed to playing Ravana. The romantic imprint of KGF remained fresh in the public imagination. "KGF 2 had just released that April, and the pair of Rocky and Reena was a huge hit," Shetty explained. "People loved seeing us together. Then, just a month or two later, this opportunity came along. I was thinking that if he played Ravana and I played Sita, we would be on opposite sides. People had only just seen us together and loved us as a pair. I wasn't sure how easily audiences would accept us being opposed to each other."
So the role went to Sai Pallavi. Shetty offered high praise for the final casting choice. "Sai Pallavi is a great choice, and I would love to watch her play Sita in the film," Shetty said, brushing aside any professional regret. "When something works out, it's great. When something doesn't work out, it's wonderful because it opens the door to other opportunities."
Tiwari's first installment hit cinema screens today, launching Kapoor's exiled prince against Yash's ten-headed antagonist with Pallavi anchoring the narrative. The production team has locked the rollout for the second half of the cinematic saga, targeting a Diwali 2028 release date.