Nimisha Sajayan has built a reputation for choosing roles that allow her to explore different emotional and professional worlds. With her performance as ASI Babita Singh in the recently released Hindi film Babita Singh Reporting receiving attention, the actress says she is overwhelmed by the response while reflecting on the preparation that went into the role.
From gaining weight to auditioning multiple times and working across Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi projects, Nimisha says she wants to continue challenging herself rather than becoming associated with one particular kind of character.
Nimisha Sajayan finds similarities between South and Hindi film sets
Although Babita Singh Reporting marked another Hindi project for Nimisha, she says she did not experience a major difference between working in the Hindi film industry and the South Indian film industries.
“In the South, it’s like a family. It’s a collaborative process. It was also the same with Babita Singh Reporting. There was no hierarchy. It was more like a group of people coming together to create a beautiful film,” Nimisha said.
She believes that collaborative atmosphere helped her settle into the project without feeling that she was entering a completely unfamiliar working environment.
“Maybe that’s the reason I didn’t feel any difference,” she added.
For Nimisha, the process of making the film was therefore more important than the language or industry in which it was produced.
Why Nimisha Sajayan gained weight for Babita Singh
Playing Babita Singh required Nimisha to alter her physical appearance for the role. The actress revealed that the script specifically described Babita as “chubby,” making the physical transformation part of her preparation.
“Initially, I was sceptical because it was clearly written in the script that Babita is someone who is chubby,” she said.
After her first audition, however, Nimisha decided that she wanted to commit to the character.
“After my first round of audition, I called the casting director and said, ‘I’m ready to gain weight because I love and want to explore Babita,’” she recalled.
She subsequently went through two more rounds of auditions before being selected.
Production team monitored Nimisha’s weight-gain process
Nimisha said her physical transformation was carried out with professional supervision. During the weight-gain phase, the production team arranged professionals to monitor her health. Her subsequent weight-loss process was also guided by a trainer who monitored her diet.
Looking back, Nimisha feels the transformation was worthwhile because it helped her inhabit the character more fully.
“I think it’s been worth it. Looking back, saying ‘yes’ to the weight-gain process was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made,” she said.
Her comments also underline that the physical change was undertaken specifically for a scripted role and as part of a monitored production process.
Nimisha does not stay in character after the camera stops
Despite taking her roles seriously, Nimisha says she does not remain in character once filming ends.
“I get into the character between ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’. Once the director calls for a cut, I’m back to being Nimisha. I can’t stay in character for a very long time,” she explained.
The actress says this approach allows her to distinguish between her own personality and the characters she portrays.
That is particularly notable given the intensity associated with several of her performances. Nimisha, however, says she is equally interested in lighter and more playful roles.
From Babita Singh to Mala in Dabba Cartel
Nimisha points to her role as Mala in Dabba Cartel as an example of a character that allowed her to explore a different tone.
“I did a fun character in Dabba Cartel, and that was a role which I really loved to play because she’s not intense. She was someone who is very blunt,” she said.
The experience reinforced her interest in moving between contrasting characters rather than repeatedly choosing roles that fit an established image.
Nimisha Sajayan wants to explore every character
Nimisha has also been moving across languages and genres. In the Tamil film Enna Vilai, she played a lawyer, while she has worked with Ashok Selvan on another upcoming project.
Speaking about her experience working with Ashok, she recalled that many of their shooting days involved night schedules.
“Most of the days, we had night shoots. When you have a good co-actor, you get the energy to push forward. Ashok was that person for me on set. He was supportive and a fun person to be with,” she said.
Her upcoming projects mentioned in the interview include Legacy, a Tamil web series with R. Madhavan, and Faraar, a Hindi project with Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Rather than narrowing down the kind of roles she wants to play, Nimisha says she is currently interested in exploring as much as possible.
“I just want to explore every character right now. If there are any good, well-written roles I haven’t done before and that are different, I’d love to do them,” she said.
Nimisha Sajayan looks ahead to 10 years in cinema
Nimisha is also approaching an important career milestone, with 2027 marking 10 years since she entered the film industry.
“It’s going to be 10 years! Why do I all of a sudden feel like I’m a grown-up girl now?” she said.
Despite the milestone, the actress says her enthusiasm for acting remains intact.
“But I’m very happy and having fun with whatever I’m doing right now. I just want to be in front of the camera,” Nimisha added.
Her comments reflect an actor who remains more interested in the next challenge than in settling into a particular career identity. From the physical transformation required for Babita Singh Reporting to lighter characters and projects across multiple languages, Nimisha Sajayan appears keen to keep her filmography unpredictable.
