Deepika made her debut as lead actress in Sun Meri Laila(1983) opposite Raj Kiran but though her debut film was successful, she did not get A grade films till 1987. Chikhalia was part of the popular television serial Dada Daadi Ki Kahani in 1985. She meanwhile did supporting roles in flop films like Bhagwan Dada(1986), Kala Dhanda Goray Log(1986), Doorie(1989) and played lead heroine in B grade horror film Cheekh(1986) and Raat Ke Andhere Mein (1987) which were box office duds. Later on in 1987, she played the female lead role of Sita in Ramanand Sagar's hit television series Ramayan which gave her national fame. She continued getting lead roles in hit TV serials like Vikram Aur Betaal(1988), The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Luv Kush (both in 1989). Her only hits in Hindi films were Ghar Ka Chiraag (1989) and Rupaye Dus Karod (1991), both of which had Rajesh Khanna in the lead and she had supporting roles with lesser footage in these films. She got more footage in the film Khudai, but the film was commercial failure in 1994. She played romantic lead of Rajesh Khanna in 2 films Ghar Ka Chirag and Khudai. Her Kannada film as the lead heroine opposite Shankar Nag was a box office hit in 1990 and her Bengali films Asha O Bhalobasha(1989) opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee and Tamil film Naangal (1992) opposite Prabhu were box office hits. She also got a supporting role in a Malayalam movie Ithile Iniyum Varu(1986),which had Mammootty in the lead.She met with limited success in Hindi films in the after 1992, as Sanam Aap Ki Khatir(1992) flopped which had her in as main lead heroine, she only got supporting roles in Hindi films. Chikhalia followed up her television and film career with a move into politics, riding her fame as a religious icon to an election victory as a Member of Parliament in the Indian Lok Sabha from Baroda constituency in 1991 as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate.

Chikhalia grew up in Girnar Apartments, in the affluent Pali Hill area of Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai.

She is married to Hemant Topiwala, owner of Shingar Bindi and Tips and Toes cosmetics. They have two daughters, Nidhi Topiwala & Juhi Topiwala