As told to Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2019)

I have been passionate about sports since I was a child. Starting out with extracurricular activities in school, I moved to badminton and started participating in tournaments across the country. I was 12 when I took part in a district-level tournament in the under-13, under-16 and under-19 categories. I won the competition across all age groups and got a cash prize of Rs 3,500 with which I gifted my mother a landline.

I continued playing badminton, but whenever the coach took a break, the boys would teach me to play cricket. That’s how I fell in love with that sport too, picked up the game real fast and was soon playing it professionally.

Then, I went to college at St. Xaviers, Mumbai, where the theatre culture is active. That’s how I caught the eye of Atul Kasbekar, ace photographer who has now turned producer. He suggested I give modelling a shot. I must have been 18 then and followed up on his advice. Modelling was a lot of fun as I got to travel to new places and be photographed, which was great.

My first TV commercial (left) was with actor Nakuul Mehta for a scooter brand. The first print ad was for a clothing line. I continued modelling through my college years as a result of which badminton and cricket took a backseat because my college was strict about attendance and I could only pursue one thing at a time.

In fact, Kiran More’s (former cricketer) daughter, was an assistant director on my debut Hindi film, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya. One day, Kiran sir had dropped by on the set and we took a break to play cricket with him. He was so impressed by my skills, that he asked me to give him three months after the shoot, telling me that given the way I play, I still had a chance to get into the women’s cricket team. That opportunity had come my way a couple of times even before that. But something else always took precedence.

While dabbling in theatre and modelling, I had decided to give acting a shot, following in the footsteps of my grandmother, Usha Kiran, and aunt Tanve Azmi. Mirzya happened after six crazy months of auditioning. Out of several aspirants, only two of us were selected and sent to Delhi for training, followed by another round of audition after which they finally zeroed in on me to play Suchitra opposite Harsh (Varrdhan Kapoor). I even went on to do a Marathi action film, Mauli, co-starring Riteish Deshmukh in a double role. Acting is a lot of fun.

Interestingly, as a child, I have worked at my parents’ restaurants (Adwait and Uttara Mhatre Kher) in Nashik. After their stint at a prominent five star hotel in Mumbai, they shifted to Nashik and started three restaurants. During vacations, my sister, Saunskriti, who was 13 then and I, two years younger, would manage one of the restaurants, Bombay Talkies, themed around Hindi films. I would take care of the kitchen, ordering around full-grown men to fill out orders from customers, while my sister would take orders and manage the guests. It was an enriching experience interacting with strangers and dealing with problems a 11-year-old girl is usually unaware of. I remember once a Jain customer was mistakenly served a chicken sizzler by the waiter. Thankfully, my sister saved the situation. On another occasion, an unruly group of college kids were fooling around in the hotel and broke a big glass door. That was the one time when we had to call our mother to handle things.

We had those restaurants for seven years and worked there for around four years during holidays. I enjoy cooking myself and was obsessed with how roomali rotis were made at the restaurant. I even learnt to bake brownies and pizzas and dish out yummy frankies.

Even today we have a boutique farm stay in Nashik where my plan is to organise workshops, establish a theatre residency and conduct music classes. I will love doing all this whenever time permits.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 28, 2018)

Two years after the release of her Bollywood debut opposite Harshvardhan Kapoor in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya, Saiyami Kher will now be seen alongside Riteish Deshmukh in his Marathi film, Mauli. It’s rare for an actress to take a plunge into regional cinema so early on in career. However, Saiyami, who made her acting debut with the Telugu film Rey (2015), has no such inhibitions. In a quick chat with BT, she talks about life post her grand debut in Bollywood, how regional cinema is opening up opportunities for actors and most of all, how surviving in the movie business is no mean feat for a newcomer.

You made your debut with a Telugu film and Mirzya (2016) was your debut in Bollywood. Your next release is a Marathi film. One would have expected you to follow up with another Hindi project instead...
Riteish Deshmukh’s last Marathi film Lai Bhaari opened up a new dimension for action and drama in Marathi cinema, and this again is an ambitious project for him. Besides, I always wanted to be a part of Marathi films as my grandmother (Usha Kiran) was a renowned name in the Marathi industry. It’s a matter of pride to go back to my roots. The best part about regional cinema is that it is more receptive and welcoming towards actresses from outside, as compared to Bollywood.

It has been two years since Mirzya released. The second Hindi film you signed got pushed to November this year, and another film with Mani Ratnam, too, is delayed. At any point, were you frustrated at the pace at which your career was moving?
Nobody wants to put their money on someone whose film hasn’t worked. Those two years were really tough. It made me realise who my true friends were; failure is the best teacher. That’s when your family and genuine friends play an instrumental role in keeping you afloat. Also, my sports background helped me sail through the phase. Walking with my chin up despite failure has been ingrained since a young age. In our world, a loss makes you work harder. It’s difficult to survive and sustain in the film industry with several people vying for the same part. One has to be thick skinned to survive here. Depression is normal when you face rejections. It has been a huge struggle. I was suddenly surrounded by new friends and relatives when my film (Mirzya), which was touted as one of the biggest Bollywood debuts, was announced. There were filmmakers who were keen on casting me. Before Mirzya, at auditions, several people were concerned about my looks. They would say, ‘You have a wide smile and big teeth. You should get a nose and lip job done’. I said ‘thank you’ to them, as I am happy with the way God has made me. After I bagged my first Bollywood film, suddenly, the same set of people thought that I am good-looking (laughs!).

Are you in touch with your Mirzya co-star Harshvardhan Kapoor considering you guys have been good friends since your debut?
I am very much in touch with Harshvardhan. Your first co-star is always special. We don’t meet but are in touch over messages. He is concerned about me and checks with me on whether I have approached the people he has suggested. Harsh has been headstrong and clear about the cinema he wants to do. I am glad that he is not going down the conventional route, which is very brave of him. He is going through his share of struggles, too. He has a tough job of living up to his father’s name.

What are the kind of films that really interest you?
I would love to feature in a sport biopic. I feel I am fit for it as I am a sportsperson, too. Also, rarely do we see actresses getting cast in action films; I would love to do one.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; May 7, 2018)

Four days ago, Riteish Deshmukh flagged off his next Marathi production venture — Aditya Sarpotdar’s Mauli — which has the actor playing the lead. Now, we can confirm that the makers of the actioner have found their leading lady in Saiyami Kher.

Riteish confirms the news, “We were looking for a fresh face to cast in Mauli and found that in Saiyami. She is young, vivacious and fits the character of a firebrand Marathi mulgi to the T. We look forward to working with her.”

Saiyami tells us, “I’m delighted to work in a language that I am very proud of — my mother tongue Marathi — that, too, opposite Riteish in his home production. He successfully introduced a new genre of action and drama to Marathi cinema with Lai Bhaari.” This will be the young actress’ second project and her debut in Marathi films.

Saiyami is taking forward the legacy of her grandmother Usha Kiran, who was a huge name in Marathi cinema. In a career that spanned over five decades, the yesteryear actress was known for films like Daag, Patita, Chupke Chupke and has received several top honours.

“Mauli will always be very close to my heart as it takes me back to my Maharashtrian roots. I will really miss my grandmom on this journey because she would have been proud to see my Marathi debut. I’m really excited and seek everyone’s good wishes and blessings,” she says. Incidentally, Saiyami’s aunt, Tanve Azmi, had played Riteish’s mother in Lai Bhaari.

Bollywood’s top raconteur mildly chokes recounting fave filmy story
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; August 29, 2016)

Over the last many years, actor-anchor Annu Kapoor has possibly emerged as the finest story-teller in Bollywood, and by that, we mean telling stories about Bollywood itself — told on television, radio and stage shows, almost like religious 'pravachans', or mythological recitations.

"In a year, we generate about 260 stories from (Bollywood) history," said Annu at the 7th Jagran Film Festival in Indore. Describing the process of putting the filmy stories together that end up enthralling all, much like journalism, he said, "We have a team of writers hired by my company. The research involves a three-step process. Each story that we come across (about old film personalities) has to be corroborated by three independent sources before it sees the light of day."

Recounting his favourite Bollywood story, however, Annu got teary eyed, and nearly broke down (the story translated from Hindi below, without Annu's dramatic style of course). As for an episode from his own life, the one we found most fascinating actually concerns his name. This is from back in the early '80s when Annu, having graduated from National School of Drama, had only begun his movie career. And his name wasn't Annu yet.

He said, "When I was starting out in films, Anil Kapoor used to be the rising star. I was cast in a film starring him. Anil was the hero, obviously. I was to be paid Rs 4,000 for, what you could call, playing the 'extra' — standing behind Dilip Kumar. The film was Yash Chopra's Mashaal (1984). I had four lines to deliver, which got edited out eventually.

"Once Boney Kapoor (Anil's brother) came to meet the Yashraj accountant to complain about how Anil Kapoor had not been paid his Rs 10,000 yet. The accountant said he was absolutely sure he had drawn a cheque for Rs 10,000 in Anil Kapoor's name. Boney was flummoxed, because the cheque never reached Anil. There was much confusion for a while. This is until, after investigation, they realised that cheque for Anil Kapoor was handed to me. My real name is Anil Kapoor! And, I had been accidentally paid two and half times the amount due."

Folks in the film industry, starting with Shabana Azmi and her family, Annu said, asked him to change his name. "There can't be two Anil Kapoors in the same profession," they said. "Names like Anurag, Anupam or Anwar get nicknamed Annu in North India. I decided to pick Annu Kapoor. What's in a name anyway," sighed Annu.

Annu's best Bollywood vignette
"There used to be a heroine called Usha Kiran. You recalled that famous song, 'Yaad kiya dil mein kahan hai tu' from the film Patita (1952)? That was filmed on her. Usha Kiran was working on a movie with director Amiya Chakravarty. He was a married man. Usha was single and madly in love with Amiya. The fire was equal from both ends. They had an intense romance going.

"Amiya's wife got wind of this. One day she walked into the sets of Amiya's film, causing much pandemonium, and went straight into Usha's make-up room. She told Usha, 'How stunningly beautiful are you? I can see why my husband has chosen you over me. If I were him, I'd do the same. My only request is, you shouldn't meet in secrecy. From today onwards, I have decided to get out of your way.' She said this, and walked away.

Usha was totally zapped. She ran after Usha's wife, held her, and said, 'If you can leave your 'suhaag' (marital bond) so easily for your husband's happiness, then I am not an ingrate either. Here, I promise, till the time Amiya is alive, I will never see his face!' This is precisely what happened. About 14-15 years after this incident, one day Usha got a call from Mrs Amiya Chakravarty. She said, 'You've kept your promise—that until Amiya's alive, you won't see his face. Come over. Amiya is lying on the pyre'."


Down memory lane

Late Usha Kiran, veteran lead actor of both Hindi and Marathi cinema, was associated with classics like Daag (1952), Kabuliwala (1961), Bawarchi (1972), Chupke Chupke (1975) and Mili (1975). Incidentally, her grand-daughter, Saiyami Kher, will soon debut as the heroine in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 22, 2014)

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra announced yesterday that he has finalised Saiyami Kher to play Sahiban in Mirzia, his next venture after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Both Saiyami and Ayesha Kapoor went through a four-month workshop for the same role, with the former outrunning the Black actress, by a "very close" margin.

"Saiyami worked on the character for several months and after a point we knew we had our Sahiban," he says, adding that he was unaware that she is Usha Kiran's granddaughter and Shabana Azmi's niece. "My story is a fresh expression of love so I knew only newcomers could pull it off. I cast both Saiyami and Harshvardhan (Anil Kapoor's son) purely on artistic merit."

The film will roll by September and it is the "biggest challenge" Rakyesh has attempted so far. "In terms of the canvas and grandeur, it is bigger than anything I have ever done. Mirzia is a tragic love story, a musical with lots of action," explains the filmmaker as he gears up to fly off to the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne where Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has won three awards. "India has already honoured us with the National Award," he beams.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 13, 2014)

The industry grapevine is buzzing with the news that model Saiyami Kher — Tanve Azmi’s niece and Usha Kiran’s granddaughter — is one of the two actresses to have been shortlisted for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirza Sahiba. The director is launching Anil Kapoor’s son, Harshvardhan, in this film.

A source says that Rakeysh has been scouting for fresh faces for Mirza Sahibaan and auditioning a lot of people. “He chose Harshvardhan because he has the fierce intensity of a lover in him combined with an innocent softness in his eyes.As far as the actress is concerned, two names have been shortlisted.
Saiyami Kher is one of them,” adds the source. Saiyami, is now awaiting the release of her debut Telugu film.

Apparently, she consults her aunts, Tanvi Azmi and Shabana Azmi, before signing on a film.
Rakeysh did not respond to our message regarding Saiyami’s chances of starring in Mirza Ghalib, which is a contemporary love tragedy inspired from folklore. Gulzar has penned the film’s script.