Many Bollywood actors have spoken out against the industry’s tendency to confine people to a specific image, and actresses tend to feel this most acutely, constantly judged on their looks, outfits, and the persona they project. Saiyami Kher went through much the same thing, especially in her early days as an actor.
Saiyami Kher was told to change her look and hair
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Saiyami shared that she was once told to alter her look and dressing style if she wanted longevity in the industry, with one particular suggestion being to straighten her naturally curly hair. Despite this, she said she’s thankful for having stuck to her authentic self, going on to feature in a number of well-received projects since then.Asked about an industry myth she wishes she’d known was untrue earlier on, Saiyami revealed that she’d frequently been pushed to conform to a particular image in the early days of her career. She said, “When I was starting off, I was told you have to look a certain way, and that was the advice I was given by lots of managers that you have to dress a certain way. I was told you have to conform to a certain way that an actress is supposed to be. I feel that I didn’t really stick to that, and I was a person who pursued sports the way I liked it. I spoke about politics and sports. I stayed true to who I was.”
Saiyami Kher didn’t want to become a “factory-made Barbie”
The actress explained that she came to understand that not bending to the industry’s mould didn’t hold her back from landing solid work. She added, “A lot of people will try to mould you a certain way. But you should stick to your originality because that’s what will set you apart. Otherwise, you would be a factory-made Barbie, which I didn’t want to become. I was constantly given advice that you should dress and look a certain way. I was told, ‘No, no don’t keep curly hair.’ But I managed to still do work. I am happy that I didn’t change the person I was because my parents brought me up to be a certain way, and I was happy with the way I have gotten my work.”
Saiyami Kher’s journey in Hindi cinema
Saiyami has gradually built a name for herself in the Hindi film industry. She began her acting journey with the Telugu film ‘Rey’ in 2015, before making her foray into Bollywood with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Mirzya’ in 2016. While the film didn’t do well commercially, it was Kher’s performance that caught people’s eye and marked her out as a promising new face.
What’s next for Saiyami Kher
Besides this, Saiyami is also set to appear in the upcoming film ‘Haiwaan’, directed by Priyadarshan, which features Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. The movie is slated for a theatrical release on September 11, 2026.
