Dipika Chikhlia and Raj Kiran – the two names that once shared the silver screen in the 1983 film Sun Meri Laila have resurfaced in conversations after decades. While the mysterious disappearance of Raj Kiran remains one of Bollywood’s biggest unsolved cases, many in the industry have made efforts to locate him. However, television’s iconic onscreen Sita – Dipika Chikhlia who debuted alongside him recently revealed that she never attempted to find him.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Dipika Chikhlia was asked about making her Bollywood debut alongside Raj Kiran and whether he was a big star at the time. She acknowledged his success stating, “He was always a very, very big name.” However, when asked about his whereabouts she admitted, “I don’t think I would like to talk much because I really don’t know where he is.”
A Strange Incident of Raj Kiran on ‘Sun Meri Laila’ Sets
During the conversation, Dipika recalled an unusual moment from the sets of Sun Meri Laila. She shared that Raj Kiran had a minor injury—something had pricked his nail, causing a tiny amount of blood. While it seemed like a minor wound, Raj Kiran reacted dramatically, saying, “Yeh cut hua hai, uske baad mujhe stitch lagana padega. Stitch lagaunga toh mujhe septic hoga aur agar septic hoga toh mujhe angoota (finger) kaatna padega. Are you prepared to face that? Is it on you!” (“This cut happened, then I will need stitches. If I get stitches, it will turn septic, and if that happens, I will have to cut my finger. Are you prepared to face that? Is it your responsibility?”)
Despite everyone on set, including Dipika, reassuring him that it was just a small cut, Raj Kiran refused to be convinced. “He was very, very good at heart, but he was like a child,” she said.
Did Dipika Chikhlia Ever Tried To Find Raj Kiran?
When asked if she ever tried to locate Raj Kiran, Dipika Chikhlia firmly admitted, “Maine toh kher, I was not part of the industry toh maine toh koi dundne ki koshish nahi ki hai.” (“I was not part of the industry, so I never tried to find him.”) However, she expressed her hopes for his well-being, saying, “I’ve always wished that wherever he is, he returns to the industry because he was a very talented man, a good human being, and a sweet person. He was like a child—very innocent.”
Raj Kiran has been missing since the mid-1990s and his fate remains unknown. While many tried to find him but notably in 2011, Rishi Kapoor and Deepti Naval reportedly tracked him to a mental health facility in Atlanta but these reports were later dismissed. More recently, in September last year former Bollywood actress Somy Ali who had promised to find him after Rishi Kapoor’s passing, announced that she had finally stopped searching.
While Dipika Chikhlia never actively searched for Raj Kiran, she extended a heartfelt message saying, “If he is somewhere, if he is watching or listening, he should come back.” The industry and his admirers continue to hope for answers to his mysterious disappearance.
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