Ramayan pair Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia reunite in OTT film Notice

Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia, who played Lord Ram and Sita in Ramanand Sagar's 1987 television series Ramayan, are teaming up for a feature film for the first time in nearly 39 years. The film, Notice, is a social drama directed by Pradeep Gupta, and it premieres on the Waves OTT platform on November 6.

Producer-actor Aditya Pratap Singh Raghuvanshi calls the film a present-day take on the bond between Ram and Sita. Set in a village, it follows an ordinary man, played by Govil, who stands up to a corrupt system to save a 150-year-old shop threatened by development. Chikhlia plays his wife, who backs him through the fight.

"All those who have lost their homes or shops due to development will identify with it," Raghuvanshi said. He added that wherever truth battles untruth, the Ram and Sita pairing belongs, and called the story "a modern-day Ramayan."

Notice is skipping theatres altogether. Raghuvanshi explained that today's theatre crowd has an urban mindset, while the two actors' fans come from television, so the team chose to reach viewers on their phones across the country. After its streaming debut, the film will also air on 36 satellite channels.

The two actors came together in 2024 for the music video Humare Ram Aaye Hai, but Notice is their first full feature since Ramayan. Govil also plays King Dashrath in the upcoming Ramayana film.