Out of the park!

SAIYAMI KHER HAS BEEN MUCH APPRECIATED PLAYING A ONE-ARMED CRICKETER IN GHOOMER. SHE SHARES HER EUPHORIA WITH SUMAN SHARMA

- SUMAN SHARMA

In Mirzya (2016), her debut film, Saiyami Kher impressed in a double role of sorts. He eloquent eyes and body language were quite vocal. Her understated beauty stood out. Mirzya, unfortunately, didn't perform well at the box office. People wrote her off but she bounced back with string performances in films like Choked (2020), Wild Dog (2021), 8 A.M. Metro and now Ghoomer (2023), where she plays a handicapped bowler. Her journey has had its share of ups and downs but she's braved all the hardships to emerge as a better actor, a better person. Excerpts from an interview with the talent powerhouse.

What was your first reaction when Ghoomer was offered?

I became nervous because this is my dream role. Obviously, there was excitement, but it was about, "Now how do I do the best?" For me, this film is a gift from the universe. I have been playing cricket since I was young. But the responsibility of playing a differently abled character and being true and authentic to that character is because it is the story of many people whom you want to include in normal society. So, for me, the immediate reaction was nervousness.

What was the most challenging part of this film?

It was difficult physically. Because I am a righthanded person, I had to do everything with my left hand. During the shoot, my hand was tied for 12 hours. I had to do everything with one hand, from falling down to sleeping, etc. Though it was challenging physically, it was more difficult to live the emotional journey of the character because I had a blessed life. To live this character (Anina) who has gone through such a big tragedy and then who has pulled herself out of it really stretched my boundaries.