Actor Dhanush has come out in support of his co-star Sai Pallavi amid the criticism surrounding her casting as Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's recently released film Ramayana.
A video of the actor praising Sai Pallavi at the pre-release event of their upcoming film OM has surfaced on social media and is now doing the rounds online.
In the video, Dhanush speaks about the conversations surrounding Sai Pallavi's portrayal of Sita and expresses surprise at the criticism.
"There is so much noise and chatter surrounding her portrayal of Sita. I really don't understand it. Even during breaks between shots, she would constantly be praying. Even if you search across all of India, you won't find another Sita like her. She is someone with such profound devotion to God and such a pure heart. She looks so beautiful, and she is a great performer," he said.
Dhanush also spoke about how Sai Pallavi has evolved as an actor over the years, recalling their first collaboration in Maari 2. He said he was surprised to see the confidence and command she brought to the sets of OM.
"When I first met Sai Pallavi during Maari 2, she was so innocent and spoke very little. She would think carefully before saying anything and was hesitant to speak. That was the kind of person she was. Seeing her nine years later on the sets of this film, I found her completely transformed. She had become a totally different person. She stood there as someone who had thoroughly mastered cinema. In her speech, her walk and her expressions, everything reflected immense confidence and poise. It was astonishing," he said.
Dhanush sir on Sai Pallavi mam as Sita Maa ❤️ "Even if you search across all of India, you won't find another Sita like her. She is someone with such profound devotion to God, someone with such a pure heart. She looks so beautiful, and she is a great performer. ” The purest praise for the purest Sita during the #OM audio launch on 6th November at Sairam Engineering College, Chennai 🙏 OM in cinemas worldwide from November 20 🔥 @dhanushkraja @Sai_Pallavi92 #ramayana @WorldOfRamayana #saipallavi #dhanush #SaiPallaviAsSita
— SaiPallaviCanvas™ (@pallavicanvas) November 7, 2026
The actor further praised her for taking on a challenging role in OM, adding, "Playing this role isn't easy at all. Sai Pallavi took it up boldly and courageously and delivered a wonderful performance."
OM brings Dhanush and Sai Pallavi together once again, with Mammootty also playing a key role. Sai Pallavi essays Nithya Reddy, a CBI officer who takes up an investigation into the illegal red sandalwood trade.
Meanwhile, Sai Pallavi plays Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious two-part adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.
The first part of Ramayana released in theatres on November 5.
