Saiyami Kher interview: On ‘Ghoomer’ re-release and what the world title means to women’s cricket

Jemimah Rodrigues was emotional about her struggles with anxiety and mental health after producing one of the all-time great innings by an Indian woman cricketer in the semifinal against defending champions Australia in the recent World Cup. Actor Saiyami Kher, who played a physically challenged cricketer in R. Balki’s Ghoomer, says that understanding the mental state of a para-athlete was one of the biggest tasks during her preparation for the role. In the wake of India’s maiden world title, Ghoomer, the hard-hitting cricket drama starring Abhishek Bachchan as a coach, has hit the screens again.

“I interacted with para athletes and realised that it’s not just about skills when it comes to a sport. Of course, you have to be good at what you do. However, nobody discusses the mental aspect of a sportsperson. I am glad Jemmi (Jemimah) spoke about it. There is a notion that a player can’t show his or her vulnerable side to the public. It’s wrong. For instance, para athletes go through a lot of turmoil. They feel their life is over after losing a part of their body. To come out of it requires great mental fortitude,” she tells The Hindu.

Jemimah’s stunning unbeaten 127, which knocked Australia out of the World Cup, has been compared to Kapil Dev’s incredible 175 against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup. The magical nature of both the knocks pulled the respective teams out of a precarious situation. For women’s cricket, the innings was a moment that firmly signalled the champion mindset of Indian players, says Saiyami, a former State cricketer.

“To beat that Australian side, India needed a special knock. Now, the title triumph will change how the game is looked at in India. Saina Nehwal’s arrival on the big stage transformed women’s badminton in the country. Of course, Prakash Padukone sir and Gopichand sir (Pullela) were the torch bearers of the sport. But Saina’s rise gave hope for many girls to pick up the racket. Now, we will see parents believing in women’s cricket,” says Saiyami. “Of course, the Women’s Premiere League (WPL) gave them massive exposure,” she adds.

Saiyami once aspired to play for the country. She faced discrimination for playing a sport “meant” for men. “India’s World Cup win is very personal for me,” she says. “Around two decades ago, boys would laugh when a girl spoke about wanting to play cricket.”

Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher in the movie.
| Photo Credit:
saiyami/Instagram

Ghoomer begins with two boys passing flippant comments while watching a women’s game from outside the ground. “The first thing men would ask is, ‘What do you know about cricket?’. These players, who made us proud with their victory, have fought many such battles. When they beat South Africa in the final, we could see what the win meant to them. The celebrations were raw and pure. I am still emotional about the result.”

ALSO READ: ‘Ghoomer’ a unique story, not just another film on cricket: R Balki

Ghoomer, a story of a physically challenged girl making it to the Indian side, was a critically acclaimed drama when it released in 2023. Saiyami hopes the film fares better than its first run.

“During our first release, Ghoomer came up against Gadar 2, which got a large share of screens. There was also Oh My God 2, Dream Girl 2, and Rocky Aur Ranii Ki Prem Kahaani. The film distribution game is complicated. We got several 9:00 AM shows in far-off places. It’s tough for people to travel so far early in the morning to watch a movie. When you do a film with your full heart, you want it to reach people. That said, those who watched the movie had only good things to say about it. Social media, which rips apart movies, was fully positive about Ghoomer. Balki sir says that it’s one of the most loved films in his career,” she explains.

Ghoomer was an emotionally engrossing experience for Saiyami. “After I finished shooting for Ghoomer, I took a dive trip to Thailand. One day, I dozed off on the boat, and I had a dream that I was at the ocean, and had only one hand. I had become physically and emotionally invested in the movie, so much so that it had become a big part of my life,” she says.