Before playing Sita in 'Ramayana', Sai Pallavi turned down five much-talked-about films

South Indian actress Sai Pallavi is mostly seen in romantic-drama films and has also earned a reputation as a versatile performer. In Nitesh Tiwari's epic 'Ramayana' she plays Sita, opposite Ranbir Kapoor as Ram. The film is set to release in cinemas on November 8, putting the actress at the centre of discussion.

Before joining a project as big as 'Ramayana', however, Sai Pallavi turned down offers to act in several successful and much-discussed films. This report looks at five such films.

'Dear Comrade', starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, was released in 2019. The makers first approached Sai Pallavi for the role of Lily, which Rashmika eventually played. The story is built around love, student politics and the personal struggles of the two lead characters. The romantic action-drama did not do that well at the box office on release, but later became hugely popular with audiences. Made on a budget of 25 crore rupees, it grossed 37 crore rupees.

'Leo', starring Thalapathy Vijay and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, was one of the Tamil hits of 2023. Alongside Vijay it featured Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja. Sai Pallavi was offered a role in the film but reportedly declined because she did not find the character suitable. Trisha played Vijay's wife Sathya in the film. Made at a cost of 250 crore rupees, it grossed 605 crore rupees at the box office.

Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa: The Rise' was released in December 2021 and stormed the box office, becoming one of that year's biggest commercial successes. Allu Arjun played the lead, opposite Rashmika Mandanna. The makers had initially thought of Sai Pallavi for the film, but she turned the offer down over objections to glamour-driven presentation and lip-syncing. Made for 150 crore rupees, the film grossed more than 350 crore rupees.

Ajit Kumar's 'Valimai' was released in 2022, with Huma Qureshi as the heroine. The action-thriller is centred on a police officer's fight against a dangerous criminal gang. The makers considered Sai Pallavi for a role, but she declined because she felt the character did not offer enough scope for acting.

Thalapathy Vijay's 'Varisu' was released in 2023, opposite Rashmika Mandanna. Directed by Vamsi Paidipally, the family action-drama revolves around a businessman. The makers thought of Sai Pallavi for the lead female role, but she ultimately turned the offer down; why she declined is not known. Rashmika Mandanna went on to play the character Divya. Made on a budget of 200 to 280 crore rupees, the film grossed 302 crore rupees and was a commercial success.