Saiee M Manjrekar is stepping into a completely new and emotionally intense space with her upcoming film Ikaai opposite Raghav Juyal. The actress, who has steadily built a reputation for balancing mainstream entertainers with performance-driven roles, reveals that the film has been one of the most demanding experiences of her career so far.
Talking about the experience, Saiee M Manjrekar shared, “Ikaai has definitely been one of the most challenging films I’ve worked on till date because it demanded so much from me emotionally and psychologically. There were moments during the process where I genuinely had to push myself beyond my comfort zone because the emotions required for certain scenes were extremely raw and intense.”
She further added, “As an actor, you always want to challenge yourself and discover parts of your craft that you haven’t explored before, and this film allowed me to do exactly that. It was exhausting at times, but also incredibly fulfilling because those are the experiences that help you grow as a performer.”
Saiee also emphasized how the film changed her understanding of performance and emotional preparation. “I learned that sometimes silence, vulnerability, and emotional stillness can be far more powerful than dramatic expression. The film constantly keeps the characters emotionally exposed, and that honesty is what makes the horror feel real.
I genuinely feel audiences will get to see a completely different side of me in Ikaai, and that’s what excites me the most.” With Ikaai, Saiee M Manjrekar continues to push creative boundaries, embracing a genre and character space that promises to showcase her in a never-seen-before avatar. The movie is produced by Vikas Bahl, directed by Raj Singh Chaudhary is currently undergoing production and is expected to release early next year.