30 January,2020 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Saiyami Kher
I have waited a long time to get here," says Saiyami Kher, as she adds an Anurag Kashyap film, Choked, to her résumé. While, for most, the statement would be laced with exhilaration, the actor's remark has a tinge of dismay - presumably a reflection of the three-year struggle since her debut with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya (2016). "It was disheartening that Mirzya didn't work, but it got me noticed. I was offered a film with Mani Ratnam after that, which didn't take off. I could either get disillusioned or stay perseverant; I chose the latter."
The actor doesn't deny that bagging a Kashyap project is a validation of her craft. "Anurag sir is a child at work. Imagine the energy of a 15-year-old in the body of a movie genius," she laughs, as she recounts shooting for the Netflix film with him. "I was blown by his spontaneity. Rakeysh sir [believes in] extensive workshops and research. This set was a contrast to that; here, being raw and real was essential." Even in its premise of a thriller, Choked has a parallel romantic track. Kher vouches for Kashyap's brand of romance as she gushes, "I remember sitting in his office and watching Manmarziyaan [2018]. It was heart-wrenching. His understanding of romance is authentic and relatable."
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