I have waited a long time to get here," says Saiyami Kher, as she adds an Anurag Kashyap film, Choked, to her résumé. While, for most, the statement would be laced with exhilaration, the actor's remark has a tinge of dismay — presumably a reflection of the three-year struggle since her debut with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya (2016). "It was disheartening that Mirzya didn't work, but it got me noticed. I was offered a film with Mani Ratnam after that, which didn't take off. I could either get disillusioned or stay perseverant; I chose the latter."

Anurag Kashyap