Mumbai, October 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress Saiyami Kher has marked a decade in the film industry by reflecting on the challenges, rejections and unsolicited advice she encountered before finding her footing in cinema.
Looking back at her journey, Saiyami recalled being a reserved and introverted young woman from Nashik with little exposure to the film world. She said she was often judged even before getting an opportunity to prove herself.
The actress revealed that she was labelled a “villager” and was told she did not have what it took to succeed. Among the unsolicited suggestions she received were advice to date an actor or director for an easier entry into the industry and to undergo cosmetic procedures.
“A decade since I walked onto a film set for the first time. A decade of some of the most life-altering experiences of my life. I was a reserved, introverted 20-something girl from Nashik with barely any exposure to films. I was written off before I had even begun,” Saiyami said.
She added that her upbringing gave her enough confidence to find humour in such comments despite facing rejection almost every day.
A turning point came when Adoor Mukerji contacted her about an audition with filmmaker Dilip Shankar. Saiyami spent three months workshopping with Shankar and actor Adil Hussain, an experience she said transformed her approach to acting and taught her to trust herself.
Six months later, she was cast in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya, marking her acting debut in 2016 opposite Harshvardhan Kapoor.
Saiyami described Mehra as the mentor she had unknowingly been looking for, crediting him with giving her the freedom to be herself and helping her fall in love with acting. She also recalled forming friendships on the film that have lasted a decade.
As she looks ahead, Saiyami said she remains eager to learn, experiment and challenge herself both on and off camera.
“I still feel the same hunger and nervous excitement I felt on my first day of shoot. I want to keep challenging myself, on and off camera,” she said, describing her journey as an endurance effort and expressing hope of continuing “one kilometre at a time.”
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