Last year was a good year for Saiyami Kher. The Nasik-born actor had our attention in Anurag Kashyap’s Choked, followed by the short film Unpaused and then the espionage web series Special OPS followed by Abhishek Bachchan starrer Breathe: Into the Shadows. The 28-year-old who strongly believes in the phrase ‘Impossible in Nothing’, started the year with Nagarjuna Akkineni and Dia Mirza led Telegu film Wild Dog. Here, she talks about drawing inspiration from athletes and playing sportsman-based roles in the future. Excerpts:
How do you feel being associated with Adidas’ campaign, Impossible is Nothing?
It’s surreal to be associated with such a strong and impactful campaign like Impossible is Nothing. I love sports and it’s great being part of a campaign that echoes my passion for sports. The campaign is about seeing new possibilities and not focusing on the problems. We have a tendency of focusing on the negative aspects and overlooking the positive sides of a situation and this campaign is all about getting inspired and pushing our boundaries to achieve our goals.
Do you have an Impossible is Nothing moment?
There have been so many moments in life when I have told myself ‘impossible is nothing’ and then faced my biggest fears and disappointments and forged ahead. The first one was when I was in college and I was told by everyone that I am not cut out for acting. But I believed in myself and persuaded a career in it. The second one was as a child; I harboured the dream of being in the poster of Adidas just like my superhero Sachin Tendulkar. I don’t know how it happened but when I saw my picture on a hoarding recently in Mumbai, it was indeed my ‘impossible is nothing’ moment.
What is it in life that keeps you inspired?
There are so many things that inspire me — the athletes around me, the soldiers who are fighting for us on the border and right now, I am inspired by the healthcare workers who are fighting the deadly COVID-19 in the hospitals. Even during the low points of my life, I have been a rebel and an optimist and the athletes have inspired me with their never-give-up attitude.
What keeps you fit?
I have played cricket and badminton since my childhood and I took up marathons four-five years ago. Running keeps me mentally and physically fit. Unfortunately, we are all cooped up in our houses currently. I was an athlete before I became an actor. And right now, I really want to fuse the two sides of me and do roles that would focus on sports and athletics.