Saiyami Kher, within just eight years of her acting debut, has collaborated with the most prominent directors in the Hindi film industry. Despite her own love for cricket, she has garnered critical and audience acclaim for her role in “Ghoomer,” where she impeccably portrays a paraplegic cricketer. While working with co-star Abhishek Bachchan, who plays her strict coach on screen, Saiyami shares that he is her favorite co-star for various reasons. In an interview, Saiyami delves into the success of “Ghoomer,” discussing its significance and the experience of collaborating with R Balki and Abhishek. Here are some excerpts:
The rapid succession of events has been quite overwhelming. During my training for “Ghoomer,” I was simultaneously involved in the film “Faadu,” followed immediately by “Ghoomer.”
In response to the query, “In a recent video with Sachin Tendulkar, you captioned it with ‘this is what happiness is.’ What does that mean to you?” She stated, “Sachin Tendulkar has been a tremendous inspiration for me. I’ve admired him since childhood, and it has been my aspiration to have him see my work. This was a dream of mine. Even while pursuing acting, my friends used to jest that someday Sachin might watch my film. I dedicated myself to achieving this goal. It was an incredibly overwhelming experience for him to watch my film, and he expressed immense enjoyment. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to bowl in front of him, although the wet gully cricket pitch prevented him from batting.”
The host asked, “Playing a paraplegic athlete required strapping your hand at the back. How challenging was this aspect of shooting?” She responded, “This film has been the most physically and mentally demanding project I’ve undertaken. For ten hours each day, I had my hand bound behind me while wearing a prosthetic over it. With my hand restrained, I had to run, field, dive, play, eat, and even sleep. The physical pain was excruciating, but equally taxing were the emotional depths my character explored.”
To the further question of the host, “Were there instances when you were close to breaking down?” Saiyami Kher reacted by saying, ” No, I never reached a point of breaking down because I was completely committed and excited about each day of shooting. I didn’t perceive it as too much despite the challenges. The struggle was present, yet it was also enjoyable. I endured a leg fracture and a dislodged toenail, among other injuries, but I never felt overwhelmed.”
To the query, “You’ve collaborated with top-tier directors. What is R Balki’s directing process like?” Saiyami Kher said, “I’ve been fortunate to work with exceptional directors such as Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Anurag Kashyap, Neeraj Pandey, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, and now R Balki. This has been a great blessing in my relatively short career, a validation regardless of a film’s outcome. Balki is collaborative and open to suggestions. He appreciates logical ideas and meticulous preparation is vital on his sets. He’s not conventionally filmy; he’s a cricket enthusiast. “Ghoomer” is his tribute to cricket, and he’s delighted to give back to the sport. He’s a fantastic person to work with, pampering me both on and off set.”
Could you share your favorite scene from “Ghoomer”? My favorite scene is the climax, where I break down after hitting the winning shot. It’s deeply personal, as it allowed me to release years of pent-up emotions from facing rejection and failure.
Talking about co-star Abhishek Bachchan, she said, “Abhishek is one of my favorite co-stars, having previously worked together on “Breathe.” He’s genuinely caring and mature, and I’ve learned a lot from him over the past few years. It’s a wonderful experience collaborating with him.”
Your film received a standing ovation at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, yet you displayed minimal emotion at the moment. Are you not particularly expressive? I’m not very expressive; I tend to keep my feelings bottled up inside. However, when I’m acting in front of the camera, I can convey everything I’ve concealed. Publicly, I don’t often show my emotions.
How gratifying is this success to you? Receiving appreciation for your work is immensely gratifying. A pivotal validation was receiving a letter from Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. This holds tremendous significance, especially in light of those who doubted my abilities. I hope the love and support continue to pour in.
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