Rashami Desai is making her much-awaited return to daily television after an eight-year break, and the actress is coming back with a role that is markedly different from her bubbly personality off screen.
The actress will headline Star Plus’ upcoming show Sayonee, produced by Sargun Mehta, playing Maya, a determined entrepreneur and fiercely protective woman who will take extreme measures to safeguard her family and everything she has built.
As she begins this new chapter, Rashami has also opened up about her career break, the importance of television and the responsibility celebrities have when dealing with social media trolling.
Rashami Desai Returns to Daily Television After Eight Years
Rashami Desai’s return to daily soaps comes after an eight-year gap. Rather than immediately signing another television project, the actress said she spent the intervening years working on herself and waiting for a story that genuinely connected with her.
Her time away from daily television included acting workshops and theatre tours, experiences that she believes contributed to her personal and professional growth.
According to Rashami, Sayonee eventually gave her the kind of material she had been looking for.
The actress will portray Maya, a strong-willed entrepreneur who has created her own business empire and is deeply protective of her family.
‘Maya Is Way Too Different From Rashami’
Rashami emphasized that audiences should not expect Maya to resemble the personality they associate with her.
“Maya’s character is way too different from Rashami. In real life, I am very cute, childlike, adventurous, and bubbly… but Maya is not like that. She is very practical,” she said.
The character is driven by her determination to protect both her personal and professional worlds. Rashami described Maya as someone who does not want anyone coming close to her family or threatening the business she has built.
“She is a strong-headed woman who has built her own empire. In her mind, nobody should come near her family, and nobody should pull down her business,” the actress explained.
The role therefore represents a departure from the lighter, more cheerful image Rashami associates with herself in real life.
Rashami Desai Defends Television’s Global Reach
While discussing her return to television, Rashami also pushed back against the idea that television has become less relevant because of the growth of films and streaming platforms.
For the actress, television remains one of the most powerful ways performers can connect with audiences, particularly internationally.
“Television is way too big. Today, even if I haven’t done big films, when I go abroad, people know who I am. That is not because of movies—that is because of television,” Rashami said.
She added that she does not believe television can simply become outdated.
“Television can never go off or become outdated,” she stated.
Her perspective comes from her own experience of being recognized by viewers outside India, something she attributes largely to her television work.
‘If It Works, Wonderful. If It Doesn’t, You Have to Move On’
Rashami also reflected on the constantly changing nature of an entertainment career. Rather than becoming overly attached to either success or setbacks, she believes performers have to accept change and keep moving.
“Changes are a part of life. You should accept it. If it works, wonderful. If it doesn’t, you have to move on. You can’t sit with success or failure and wait. What’s done is done,” she said.
The approach reflects the actress’s own career journey, particularly her decision to take time away from daily television before finding a project that felt right for her.
Rashami Praises Salman Khan for Addressing Online Trolling
Rashami also spoke about Salman Khan, with whom she worked during her Bigg Boss journey, and praised him for addressing social media trolling aimed at women.
Her comments came in the context of discussions around online attacks focused on women’s bodies and changes following pregnancy and childbirth.
Rashami said she admired Salman for choosing to speak about the issue publicly and directly.
“I think nobody in Bollywood has the guts to do what he did. It was beautifully done, very respectfully done. A woman goes through a lot of changes during and after childbirth, and people shouldn’t target women like that,” she said.
Her comments underline her view that public figures should not remain silent when social media criticism crosses into personal attacks, particularly when women are being targeted over their bodies or appearance.
Sayonee Marks a New Phase for Rashami Desai
With Sayonee, Rashami Desai is returning to the daily television format after eight years while taking on a character that she describes as significantly removed from her own personality.
Maya’s combination of ambition, practicality and fierce protectiveness gives Rashami an opportunity to explore a more complex character on screen. The show will air on Star Plus and stream on JioHotstar.
For Rashami, the comeback represents more than simply returning to a familiar medium. After years spent exploring theatre, workshops and personal growth, she is stepping back into daily television with a role she believes gives her something new to perform.
