Sarzameen actor Piloo Vidyarthi upset over her role cut in the film; feels 'Ibrahim Ali Khan lacks depth'

Sarzameen actress Piloo Vidyarthi has opened up about her disappointment over the significant reduction of her role in the film, as well as her candid views on co-star Ibrahim Ali Khan’s performance. While the direct-to-OTT thriller starring Kajol and Prithviraj Sukumaran faced mostly negative reviews, Piloo’s revelations shed light on the challenges actors face behind the scenes—especially when their work doesn’t make the final cut and when working alongside star kids under intense scrutiny.

Screen time was drastically reduced

In a recent conversation with News18, Piloo revealed that after taking on a role she believed was as important as Farida Jalal’s in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, she filmed extensively in Manali and Mumbai. She was told during the initial script reading that her character played a key part in a child’s emotional journey and was vital to the story. However, it was only after watching the final cut that she realized how much her role had been drastically reduced.

Director struggled with the film’s narrative

The actress expressed feeling stuck and unsettled by how her role was handled in the film. She believes the makers went wrong, as the director struggled to piece the story together, resulting in less than 20 percent of the filmed scenes being retained. Due to her disappointment, she chose not to promote the movie.

Setbacks

She also acknowledged that setbacks are part of an actor’s journey and accepted the situation, though she found it disappointing to prepare extensively for a role only to see it minimized.

She also noted that actors, especially those in supporting roles, often don’t have the opportunity to challenge such decisions.

Piloo on Ibrahim Ali Khan

Speaking about Ibrahim Ali Khan, she said he was very kind to her and even took photos together. However, she felt his acting lacked depth. She acknowledged the pressure star kids face to live up to their famous parents—especially someone like Ibrahim, who comes from a family of well-known achievers accustomed to constant attention. She added that no one is truly bad. For context, Ibrahim is the son of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, and the younger brother of actress Sara Ali Khan.