Saiyami Kher marked 10 years in Bollywood three weeks ago. Reflecting on her journey, she said she rejected two big films after Mirzya because they offered her insignificant roles. She noted, "The screen time can be small or big, but my character has to drive the narrative forward."
As Saiyami Kher completes 10 years in Bollywood, she discusses her career and recalls the briefs she received for two big films after Mirzya that led her to turn them down.
Three weeks ago, Saiyami Kher marked 10 years in Bollywood. In 2006, she forayed into the Hindi film industry with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya, co-starring Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor. It may have tanked at the box office, but it opened doors for Saiyami, who went on to work with Anurag Kashyap, R Balki and Priyadarshan.
Recently taking to Instagram, she penned a heartfelt note reflecting on her decade-long journey. She revealed she was 'written off' before her career began and was called a 'villager'. She also recalled receiving unsolicited advice to date an actor or director or get a lip job, as these would be easier ways to get a foot in the door.
Speaking exclusively to News18, Saiyami opens up on the past decade and if Mirzya immediately translated to lucrative work opportunities. "After I finished shooting for Mirzya and before it released, I was offered two very big films. The brief given to me for them was - teen gaane hai aur hero ke saath do scenes hai. I wasn't even given the scripts," she recalls.
But despite being a newcomer, she had no qualms about turning those offers down. "It wasn't very difficult to say no to them. The screen time can be small or big, but my character has to drive the narrative forward. I would rather be part of a film where I can say that I play a very important character than do an insignificant part in a big film," Saiyami remarks.
Years later, signing Breathe: Into the Shadows reaffirmed her faith in why she had chosen to become an actor. "I did the series with Abhishek Bachchan. It wasn't the central character, but it changed the arc of the whole story. I love sets. It's my happy space. If I can't wake up happy about going to work, that's reason enough for me to say no to a project," she says.
There were career highs in these past ten years, and so were lows - moments involving insecure male co-actors. "Not everyone can be secure. This industry is such that everyone is always hustling and it breeds insecurity. Sometimes, superstars don't wait to give you a reaction if it's your close-up. Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan and Akshay (Kumar) sir are exceptions," she shares.
So, what's the game plan for the next few years? "I want to do a comedy film with Priyan sir. I've been told that he repeats his actors. I wasn't subtle at all when I told him that I want to do his next film. I can hold a placard and tell him, 'Priyan sir, I'm ready for your 100th film.' He works with complete clarity," says Saiyami Kher, who recently collaborated with him on Haiwaan.
"He knows what he wants. He shoots exactly what's needed. There's a whole debate going on about working hours on a film set but on his sets, there's no question about that. In Haiwaan, we've sometimes wrapped up work in two to three hours," adds the actor, who's also gearing up for her international debut with an Indo-Russian drama.