Sadia Khateeb recalls Akshay Kumar’s advice: ‘Keep working and you’ll eventually reach bigger places’ | Exclusive

AFter outlay years playing emotionally superimposed and often heartbreaking characters, Bollywood worker Sadia Khateeb was looking for for something ignitor; not just as an actor, but as a person. From her debut in Shikara to emotionally demanding projects like Raksha Bandhan and The Diplomat, Sadia has steadily portrayed emotionally vulnerable women on screen. That is what made her upcoming family drama Daadi Ki Shaadi feel so different. Produced by Rtake Studios, BeingU Studios and Shimla Talkies, the film is written and directed by Ashish R Mohan and stars Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Sarath Kumar, Sadia Khateeb and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni.In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Sadia spoke candidly about emotional burnout, protecting her boundaries in the industry, the pressure of visibility in Bollywood and the lessons she learned from actors like Akshay Kumar and John Abraham.‘Every day on that set felt like a holiday’Talking about working on Daadi Ki Shaadi, Sadia described the film as one of the happiest experiences she has had on a set so far. “Shooting this film was honestly one of the best experiences of being on a film set for me because of the environment, because of the co-actors, because of my director and everyone around,” she said.The actor shared that the atmosphere on set naturally turned the shoot into something deeply comforting and memorable. Long schedules, night shoots and hectic filming days never really felt exhausting because the cast spent so much time together off-camera as well. “We all had food together, lunch and dinner together. It was beautiful weather, we were shooting all night, working really hard towards the film, but at the same time it felt like pure joy because of the people who were present there. It genuinely felt like we had all gone on a holiday together.”Although the film includes humour and light moments, Sadia clarified that she sees Daadi Ki Shaadi more as a warm family drama than a conventional comedy.Why she emotionally needed Daadi Ki ShaadiSadia revealed that she had already completed filming for The Diplomat before signing Daadi Ki Shaadi. At that point, she had spent years performing emotionally draining roles and realised she needed something emotionally lighter. “I had already shot for The Diplomat and I realised I was craving something light-hearted. I wanted to explore something that wasn’t intense, something that wasn’t emotionally sitting on my shoulders all the time,” she shared.The actor admitted that emotionally heavy films affect her more deeply than she initially understood. “When I was shooting The Diplomat, I realised subconsciously those emotions stay with you. After the film, I went back home and my parents noticed I had become very quiet. I was sleeping a lot. I wasn’t stepping out much,” she said.One particular sequence from the film stayed with her for a long time. “The last schedule I shot involved the torture scenes. You keep repeating that trauma in your mind for days while performing it. You live those 20-30 days as that character. Subconsciously it stays with you even after the film is done.”That emotional heaviness is exactly why Daadi Ki Shaadi became therapeutic for her. “While shooting this film, I was constantly smiling, laughing, giggling and having fun. I realised as an actor and as a human being, I really needed something like this for my peace of mind.”Learning from Akshay KumarHaving worked alongside Akshay Kumar in Rasha Bandhan and John Abraham in The Diplomat, respectively, Sadia says the biggest lesson she learned from both actors was humility. “I learned that you can be the biggest star in the country and still be incredibly humble and grounded,” she said.She particularly remembered a piece of advice Akshay Kumar once gave her. “He told me, ‘Just keep doing work. Start small if you have to, but keep working and you’ll eventually reach bigger places.’”What stayed with her even more, however, was observing his discipline on set. “Even after being such a massive star, he still behaves like a newcomer on set. He waits for his director, gives endless takes patiently, and stays there even for simple reaction shots instead of disappearing into his vanity van.”She added, “I realised you can never lose the passion you had when you first started out.”Sadia on saying no to projectsOver the years, Sadia has been selective about the projects she chooses. The actor says she has always been clear about her personal boundaries and the kind of stories she wants attached to her career. “I’ve always been very clear about what I want and what I don’t want,” she said.Saying no to projects, according to Sadia, has never frightened her, even if it meant losing opportunities in a highly competitive industry. “I think I’ve said no to more projects than I’ve said yes to in my life. But it doesn’t affect me because I genuinely want to work with good directors and good stories that have integrity.”She also opened up about consciously avoiding projects where she felt female characters existed only for objectification. “I really want to be part of projects where the intention is clear and there’s more to the character than just objectification.”Meanwhile, Sadia Khateeb was most recently seen in Daadi Ki Shaadi, alongside Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and more. She will next star in Omung Kumar’s Silaa alongside Harsvardhan Rane.