Sai Tamhankar on breaking the typecast trap: I kept saying no, even when it cost me work

From powerful performances in Marathi hits like Duniyadari, Classmates, Vazandar and YZ to making a mark in Hindi projects such as Hunterrr, Mimi, Bhakshak and India Lockdown, Sai Tamhankar has never been one to play it safe. The actress has steadily built a reputation for taking on layered, unconventional characters.

Now, even as she earns acclaim across industries and mediums, Sai admits that the battle against typecasting continues to be very real.‘If I didn’t stop repeating myself, nobody else would stop either’“Typecasting is definitely a problem, although I do feel it has reduced now. The moment you do something well and that project becomes successful, suddenly ten other people want to cast you in the same kind of role. Honestly, the only way to break out of that cycle is to say no, which is incredibly difficult for an actor.

But unfortunately, that’s still the only solution,” says Sai.The actor reveals that saying no often comes at a high professional and emotional cost. “When you reject those roles, ten projects disappear, and maybe one or two remain… sometimes not even that. It’s a huge risk. And for an actor, refusing work is heartbreaking because work is everything. At the same time, I also understand the filmmakers’ perspective.

If an actor has nailed a certain character, they naturally feel it’s safer to cast them in similar parts again.

So they’re not entirely wrong either. After Hunterrr, I kept getting similar roles for almost three years, and I kept turning them down. It wasn’t easy at all, but I knew if I didn’t stop repeating myself, nobody else would stop either.”‘I’ve always believed in longevity over being a one-night wonder’Sai, however, believes reinvention requires patience and resilience. “Every time you enter a new space or a new industry, you have to start from scratch.

And I’m okay with that. I’m not in a rush. I’ve always believed in longevity over being a one-night wonder. Building trust takes time, and rightly so because there’s money riding on every project after all. But I do feel like I’m breaking some barriers and opening certain doors.

I would love to shoulder an entire film or web series someday, and I’m doing everything I can with the resources I have.” ‘I think this industry is very welcoming if you know your job well’Speaking about her journey from Hunterrr to her latest project, Matka King, Sai says she is finally happy with the way the Hindi industry sees her as a performer.

“I’m happy with my trajectory. It took time for things to really take off, but waiting is also a huge part of this profession. I’m genuinely happy with the kind of roles I’m getting and the way people perceive me as an actor now. I think this industry is very welcoming if you know your job well.

If you give your hundred per cent and treat every opportunity like gold, there’s always space for you. Eventually, people appreciate actors who work sincerely, without unnecessary stress or drama. Honestly, a career trajectory is never fixed—it depends on the wind. Sometimes you have to modify your flight path depending on how things unfold, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.”