Saiyami Kher says she was told not to keep curly hair, change her look: 'Didn’t want to become factory-made Barbie’

Several Bollywood actors have spoken about the industry's pressure to fit into a certain mould, with female actors often facing scrutiny over their appearance, clothes and overall image. Saiyami Kher has also experienced similar expectations, particularly during the early years of her career.

In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Saiyami recalled being advised to change the way she looked and dressed if she wanted to have a long career in the industry. She revealed that she was even asked to get rid of her naturally curly hair. However, the actor said she is glad she chose to stay true to herself and has since been part of several critically acclaimed projects.

When asked about an industry myth she wished she had known earlier, Saiyami said she was often advised to fit a certain image when she was starting 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 said she eventually realised that not conforming to industry expectations did not stop her from finding good 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 has steadily carved a space for herself in Hindi cinema. She made her acting debut with the 2015 Telugu film Rey and went on to make her Hindi debut with Mirzya (2016), directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Although the film did not perform well at the box office, Kher's performance brought her attention as a newcomer.

She subsequently appeared in films such as Mauli (2018), Choked (2020), Unpaused (2020) and Special OPS (2020), gradually taking on roles that allowed her to move beyond the conventional leading-lady roles. Her performance in Choked, directed by Anurag Kashyap, received appreciation. Saiyami has also been part of projects such as Breathe: Into the Shadows, A Thursday and 8 A.M. Metro. She received critical acclaim for her performance in Ghoomer (2023), in which she played a determined young cricketer whose dreams are challenged by a life-altering setback. Her film choices reflect a preference for character-driven stories rather than simply conventional commercial roles.

Her recent film Pal Bhar Ke Liye, which also stars Tahir Raj Bhasin and Vineet Kumar and marks Vikram Fadnavis' directorial debut, had its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026 on August 16.