Sahejmeen Kaur visited Dubai with Akshay Kumar and director Anand L. Rai to promote her debut film Raksha Bandhan in Dubai. The film, which features Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead role, celebrates the beautiful bond between brothers and sisters.
It was Sahejmeen's first international trip. "My mom and I sat on a flight for the first time because of this film. The experience was like a dream come true," Sahejmeen tells The NRI Nation in a recent interview. "The fans were thrilled to meet us and clicked pictures with us," she says, expressing her excitement.
Dubai has always been Bollywood's favorite destination to celebrate the release of its films, and Raksha Bandhan was no exception. The team saw a massive turnout of fans at the gatherings in Dubai held at Vox Cinemas and Deira City Centre. In addition, the display of Raksha Bandhan's trailer on the Intercontinental Hotel building was quite a spectacle for the cast and fans alike. "The buildings were huge, and it was a dream to see our trailer at Dubai Festival City," Kaur says, adding that her time in Dubai was "unforgettable."
She credited Kumar's friendly and supportive nature for making the promotions enjoyable and comfortable. "He was always making us laugh. We played many games like ludo, cards, etc.," she says. "Generally, in film promotions, that doesn't happen very often as everybody is busy with their work," she quickly adds.
The social comedy, released on Aug. 11, 2022, follows the turbulent life of Akshay Kumar's character Lalaji, who is trying to marry the four sisters he has taken care of since their mother's death. Kumar juggles managing the money for his sisters' dowries and his turbulent love life with Bhumi Pednekar. The film makes a satirical dig at dowry as Kumar tries to arrange money for his sisters' weddings.
Sahejmeen's character Saraswati is a fierce troublemaker who often takes advantage of being the youngest sister. She always creates trouble for her brother but is seen standing tall along with siblings under challenging situations throughout the film.
Sahejmeen Kaur, who hails from Delhi, is an aspiring actress with a vast experience in theater. The 24-year-old is a member of the Delhi-based theater group 'Mrit Pathshala' and is famous for acting in 'Kala Yug: The Age of Darkness.'
Her Journey to Bollywood began when she gave an audition for an undisclosed project. She had no idea that soon she would become a part of the mega Bollywood film Raksha Bandhan starring superstar Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar. "I was unaware that I had auditioned for such a big project. And, I did not know Anand L Rai, a legend, would direct this movie," she said.
Kaur was told that she was chosen for the role because of her sassiness and bold personality, which was perfect for her character. Her real-life bubbly personality has matched perfectly with the on-screen character.
Recollecting the memories from the film set, Sahejmeen says the experience was thrilling. "It was my first time on a huge set, shooting for a big Bollywood film. So it was my first encounter with the film camera, and I remember being starstruck by Akshay Kumar, Sir".
Raksha Bandhan paints the truth about the evils in the society and highlights the barriers that the girls and their families have to fight. "It will make me happy if the film succeeds in changing the mindsets of even a few families so that they won't indulge in practices like taking and giving dowries," she says. "I hope the world will become a better place leaving behind these evils."