Saiyami Kher joins Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan, shoot begins in Kochi

For Saiyami Kher, stepping onto the set of Priyadarshan’s upcoming film Haiwaan has been nothing short of a dream.

The film not only brings her together with Bollywood powerhouses Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan but also marks a full-circle moment in her personal journey with cinema.

Haiwaan has already sparked excitement for reuniting Akshay and Saif after 17 long years since Tashan. For Saiyami, however, it’s a double milestone — her first collaboration with both actors as well as with filmmaker Priyadarshan, whose work has long inspired her love for films.

Walking into this space has been overwhelming, Saiyami admits. “Walking onto the set of Haiwaan has been overwhelming in the most beautiful way. I still remember being that little girl who sat wide-eyed in a theatre, watching Akshay sir redefine action as the or laughing endlessly at Saif sir’s effortless comic timing in films that became part of our growing-up years. Back then, I never imagined that one day I would actually be on a set with the very people whose films shaped my love for cinema.”

She describes the experience as surreal. “There are moments now, when I look around and have to remind myself this is real. These are the same faces I once watched from the audience, and today I’m sharing the frame with them. And then there is Priyan sir. For me, he’s not just a director, he’s a storyteller who has given us some of the most iconic films. To be guided by his vision, is something I will always carry with me. His films were a big part of why I fell in love with movies, and now, to be on his set, is like life coming full circle. We’ve only just begun shooting, but I’m just soaking it all in, excitement, the nerves, the gratitude. My heart is full, and I feel incredibly blessed to be a small part of a film that already feels so special.”