New Delhi: 'Ghoomar' which was known as a dance style, has a different meaning altogether presently. With 'Ghoomar' we not just recall Deepika's phenomenal dance sequence in 'Padmaavat', but we also resonate with the unique style of bowling by a sportswoman Anina Dixit, who met with an accident just before her debut in International cricket. An accident which demanded her right hand, made her lose all hope until she met 'Paddy'. With the marvelous performance of Saiyami Kher as 'Anina' and Abhishek Bachchan as 'Paddy', the film 'Ghoomar' indeed became a box office success


In an interview with ABP Live over a video call, Saiyami shared all that she did to prepare for her character 'Anina' , her experience of working with Abhishek Bachchan, and also talked about her favourite scenes in the film.


Talking about what made her say 'yes' to the film, Saiyami said, "I feel it was a dream role. I've been wanting to play a cricketer on screen since I started acting. It is a sport I like playing. So, there are a lot of reasons- one being the sport, the other being the script, as there is much more to the script, then working with the genious called R Balki, then AB- being a few of them."


In the film, Saiyami was seen along with Abhishek Bachchan, who essayed the role of her coach. Prior to 'Ghoomar', Saiyami had also worked with Abhishek Bachhan in 'Breathe: Into The Shadows'.


Sharing her experience of working with him, Saiyami said, "I have known him for 4-5 years now and he is somebody I am extremely fond of because we have spent a lot of time together. Everybody thinks that he is very mischievous, very funny, but he is also somebody who is genuinely one of the most mature and deep human beings I have met, someone who is very wise. I truly enjoy spending time with him and he is a great actor."


Playing the character of Anina, a young cricketer who loses her right hand in an accident, Saiyami had to undergo many hardships and faced severe injuries in the process. But, her dedication and excitment made her overcome it all and ace her role.


Saiyami had to keep her right had tied for hours and do everything with one hand, that too her left one. Talking about it, she said, "I did it because you are riding high on the process of filming. So, it used to be very painful. My right rotator cuff went through a little bit of injury. But, it was needed for the film and you do what is needed for a film. Physically, it was a very demanding role becasue I had to become a left-hander from a right-hander and, just kind of becoming a left-hander was very difficult for me who has been a right hander all my life. So, I had to bowl with my left and do everything with one hand."


Speaking about, what else did she do to prep for the charactor, Saiyami said, "I spoke to a whole lot of para-atheletes becasue this is a story of a para-athelete. They were my biggest inspiration in this film. They helped me out in this film in many ways. I wanted to make sure that it becomes a second nature to me, so I used to wake up, comb my hair, wear my shoes, fold my clothes, cook my food- everything with one hand. I wouldn't consider it prep, but it was more like living this character for six months before I started shoot. So, by the time I got on to set, it became a second nature to me."


"The challenge is exciting. And, since I did that evry single day, I involuntarily right now catch myself still eating with my left hand and doing things with my left hand," she went on to say.


Furthermore, she also said, "While practicing, My toe was broken because somebody bowled a yorker to my toe and I had a fractured toe before shoot, my hand had cuts all over. So, there were a whole lot of injuries but the larger picture was so much more that all this seemed to be very small."






Saiyami was indeed marvellous in the film and received wide acclaimation for playing 'Anina'. However, when it come to her favourite scenes in the film, she said that there were two of them.


"One is the climax of the film where I had a complete breakdown after acheiving what I had set out to achieve. It was very very personal for me, that particular meltdown, because for an actor its very personal the way you come out of your darkness. So, that particular scene was very special. and, there was another scene that I did with Angad and then AB. So, it was like Angad and I have a fight and AB's character comes in... So, that scene was also very difficult to shoot."


'Ghoomar', directed by R Balki, hit the theatres on August 18, 2023.