Actress Saiyami Kher, currently basking on the love she’s been receiving for her film 8 A.M. Metro, being streamed on Zee 5, gets candid with The Pioneer exclusively speaking of her character “suffering” in the film, preps for the same, shooting in real locations, and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
Recent box-office success Ghoomar’s renowned fame, Saiyami Kher, returns once again with 8 A.M. Metro—the adaptation of Andamaina Jeevitam into a Hindi film that displays her dedication to pushing boundaries and delivering essential storylines to a larger audience. The film may have been released in 2023, but now is the moment for it to find its rightful place on a national stage, generating greater appreciation. So, in order to learn more about the popularity of this simple yet uplifting story, we had a call with the lead actress, and here’s how it went.
Without hesitation, she dives right into her characterisation in the film, saying, “As everyone already knows, my character is dealing with mental health concerns. So, as soon as I noticed the phrase ‘mental health’ in my readings, I was determined to bring this essential topic back to the forefront. Not that others haven’t talked about it; they have, but our plot was slightly slanted toward lyrical lines. I wouldn’t call it a complex character, but my character is “suffering” in the movie. The gravity of the character gradually became apparent to me, and I am not lying when I say that I could feel it.”
Okay, let’s not call it complex, as Saiyami stated! But may sensitive be the correct word? Taking note of this, we were curious about the preps that went into portraying this “sensitive” role on-screen. She added, “I had never had a panic attack, but I know some of my close friends and family members who had. Unfortunately, I have witnessed it. I got into the persona after meeting a few psychiatrists and therapists! It was critical for me to comprehend what occurs during a panic attack, even in a bodily sense. Even my co-star told me later on in the filming, ‘Saiyami, do you know? When exposed to panic attack, some people appear to experience a heart attack.’ That startled me!” So such professional data was useful to her, including, “The videos that I watched online to see what kinds of reactions they get. And they differed greatly! So I had to show on screen that I’m sweating and unable to breathe. The psychologist emphasised the significance of these minor details.”
The well-known actress from Mirzya told us how she brought out the nuances of the unlikely friendship on-screen, stating, “This script also reminded me of one of my most favourite films that I tend to watch on a loop. This movie isn’t only about a romantic angle but also about the serendipity of the friendship that’s coming alive. And this is a real possibility; it might happen in our lives at any time! In my personal life, I’ve had several similar experiences. That stranger made me a better person, but one must be open to that type of contact! Another example is filming with your co-stars; they are usually strangers to you if you are matched for the first time on screen, yet they bring out the chemistry in you.” This dynamic has been very prevalent in the film industry for her. Fortunately, Gulshan is not one of them (she giggles). “We’ve worked together before. And I couldn’t wait to continue working with him from where we left off! I was unprepared for our last collaboration; therefore, this was my turn to shine alongside Gulshan in this film. And I must say, it worked out really well.”
Hammering deeper into the ongoing discussions on the film, she explains, “The best and worst reactions come to us through social media these days, so I’ve seen times when a few users were way too brutal to me online. But by God’s grace, I’ve had incredible reactions to my back-to-back releases. I am receiving DMs in which a few people are telling me about their real-life experiences. I believe I restarted the conversation about it! I recognise that my film is on a tiny scale, but if it reaches a huge number of people, I consider it successful.” Another appealing aspect of this film is its use of poetry and literature, which piques our interest in the actress’ personal relationship to it and how poetry enhances the plot. Oh, she had a personal story to share with us! “I’m a huge fan of poetry, owing to Gulzar Sahab, who wrote my debut movie. Since I met him, he has made me fall in love with poetry. Javed Akhtar Sahab could be another powerful influence in inspiring me to fall in love with poetry. I have looked up to him since I was a child! So I’m used to writing poetry at home for personal gratification, but this film provided me the opportunity to bring it into the spotlight. It’s literally the central strand of our film! I could draw inspiration from Farhan Akhtar’s portrayal in ZNMD, which made both my character and the film more artistic than commercial. What helped the movie even more was the fact that the makers did not use poetry for superfluous ends.”
And how could we miss the lead actors filming a few important sequences in the metro, all through the lens of commuting while in it? She revealed interesting facts about it, saying, “It was a low-budget film, so all of the locations were real, including the scenes shot in the metro. It’s Anurag Kashyap’s way of shooting! This movie contained a lot of exterior scenes, which boosted my excitement. And my biggest takeaway from this film is the renewed public discourse about the importance of consulting psychologists for mental wellness. Because I’ve been advised by a few industry professionals not to choose roles that appear older or less glamorous—but to me, they’re just noise because I do what my heart finds rewarding.”
