ABOUT FROM

taking up modelling at a young age to taking up acting, Amyra Dastur says she’s always been guided by the hand of destiny. The actress says she always had a flair for creativity. She’d actively take part in acting workshops since her childhood. She started her journey as a model at the age of 16, which eventually led to her being featured in numerous advertisements, and then came the call for auditions. She eventually made her debut with Prateik Babbar in Issaq in 2013. She even got a Filmfare nomination for Best Debut Actor (Female) for her performance in the film. She has had the privilege to bask in the glory of being part of a Jackie Chan film, Kung Fu Yoga (2017), that made her taste international recognition early on in her career. “I got a call from a casting director, and he said that it was an Indo-Chinese film, and Jackie Chan was the lead star. It was going to go for six months, and I’d have to travel to China. They asked me if I would be available. There was no chance of me saying no, of course, as Jackie Chan is my favourite,” she gushes. With an impressive debut and an international project in her kitty, one might be quick to believe she has had a smooth sail in the industry. One might be wrong. Amyra sheds light on how struggles are a part and parcel of the entertainment industry. “I learnt that sometimes, when a film doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean it’s your fault, your co-star’s fault, or anyone’s fault per se. Sometimes the audience doesn’t like it, and that’s okay. We’re still learning.”

The talented actress has made a name for herself down South as well in films like Anegan (2015, Tamil), which was a reincarnation drama where she starred opposite Dhanush and played three characters. Then she made her Telugu debut with Manasuku Nachindi (2018), opposite Sundeep Kishan, where again her acting was appreciated. Speaking about her South foray, she states, “There’s this different ambiance there, and that’s something I enjoy about the South. The pure love that the South audience has for the heroes, for the stories, even for the directors, for the heroines is something else. It’s a different kind of love than what you see over here. It’s pure. It’s difficult to understand and explain and can only be experienced. I’m blessed to have experienced it.”

With the world of OTT being revolutionised with some top-notch content, Amyra has carved out her space on the platform with some memorable performances in The Trip 2 (2018) and the political thriller Tandav. Speaking of her collaboration with Saif Ali Khan in Tandav, with whom she’d worked earlier in Kaalakaandi, she reminisces, “He’s a charismatic person, great to work with. He was always sweet. There were no starry airs about him, and that was something I liked. He came with these positive vibes.”

Quite recently, she enthralled the audience with her impactful stint in Jogi, which is based on the 1984 Sikh riots. She was paired opposite Diljit Dosanjh in the film. “It was a hard-hitting film about the 1984 Sikh riots and I’m happy I was part of something concrete,” she says. The film was directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Amayra had worked with him before in Tandav, and there seems to be a bond of trust that they share. Corroborating the same, she mentions, “For the character of Kammo, I was just told to sort of bring my own to the character. I think after working together on Tandav, Ali sir kind of knew that I could deliver. So he trusted me with Kammo, and I appreciated that. I was a little scared because I was like, this has to be believable. I don’t want to be the film’s weak link.” She’s set her sights on being a pan-Indian star. And her future projects are a reflection of that approach. She says she’s happy doing good work and doesn’t care whether it comes in theatres or on OTT. And she’s ready to work in different languages as well. “I’ve finished shooting for Bombay Meri Jaan, which is inspired by the book Dongri To Dubai, so that’s going to be coming out on OTT, I think, early next year. Apart from that, I’m doing a Punjabi film with Jassie Gill, called Furtila. “I’m also working on a Tamil film called Bagheera with Prabhudeva Sir.”

She sure knows what she’s doing.