'Nothing To Lose': Kubbra Sait On Leaps Of Faith & Learnings From Failure

SheThePeople recently hosted its first edition of 'Bangalore Raani', celebrating the women whose creativity, resilience, and ambition have turned the city into the vibrant hub that it is today. And who better to embody this than Kubbra Sait? The actor and author grew up in Bengaluru, cruising its streets on her bright-red bike, exploring anchoring gigs, and carving out a free-spirited identity right from a young age. 

She shared the stage with her mother, Yasmin Sait, entrepreneur, speaker, and Founder of Sunset Finishing School; and with Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople and Gytree.

Chasing independence

Kubbra proudly flaunts her Bengaluru roots, recounting childhood stories and slipping into familiar Kannada phrases. Yet, she says, the confidence came only when she first moved away from home.

"In Bengaluru, everyone knew I was Yasmin's daughter," she shared, recounting an example. "There was a time I met with an accident, and the cops took me to the orthopaedic and then straight to my mother!"

Kubbra expressed, "I always felt protected in this city; beyond my mother's protection. I had immense freedom, but I was like a mosquito in a mosquito net! It felt like I had a lot of space, but it was within boundaries." 

It was only when I moved out that I asked myself, 'How do you survive?' -Kubbra Sait

In 2005, Kubbra moved to Dubai to start her career. It was her first plane ride; her first taste of independence. Then, the focus wasn't to be an actor, but to be self-sufficient. She worked in corporate for years before moving to Mumbai.

Evolution as an actor

For someone coming from a protective household, the idea of becoming an actor felt unimaginable. Kubbra shared, "There was no one in our family who was an actor. To say, 'I want to act' was nowhere close to reality."

In the entertainment industry, she tried her hand at everything, from modelling and emceeing to small supporting roles, taking several risks and learning from her setbacks. 

"I believe that at the beginning of your career, you have to say 'yes' to every opportunity. You've got nothing to lose and everything to win," Kubbra said. "For me, that leap of faith was playing a maid in a Salman Khan film."

Kubbra's early career was defined by openness. "Many people with decades of experience say, 'There is power in saying no'. But when you're a 'nobody', you only have the wisdom to say yes."

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Kubbra's journey was not without its challenges. From being typecast to working with unfavourable co-stars, she has had her share of setbacks and hard-earned lessons.

"I have cried a lot," she revealed. "It is a very emotional job. You run into deeply unsettling and uncomfortable situations." However, even in her lowest moments, Kubbra always chose to reinvent herself.

She invested in acting workshops, sharpened her understanding of scripts, took risks, and learned the craft from the ground up. Then came her breakout role: Kukoo in Sacred Games.

"That character had so much compassion, contradiction, and chaos," Kubbra expressed. "I was not thinking of the outcome. I was just thinking, 'Do this job'. But in the end, it built me a community."

Adventure sports and being a better person

Over 20 years since Kubbra left her home city, she still does not settle for comfort. Trekking, diving, rafting - she gravitates towards activities that challenge her.

Beyond pushing her towards her goal, for Kubbra, these adventures are more about self-discovery. They allow her to reassess herself, what drives her, what unsettles her, and what truly matters.

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"There are so many realisations that happen when you are in the middle of untouched nature. Because there is no one to tell you, 'this is what you should do' or 'this is how you should be,'" Kubbra shared.

She spoke about how this disconnection pushes her inward, making her sit with her own thoughts, fears, and limitations. This awareness carries directly into her work as an actor.

"Being an actor has put me on the pursuit of being a better person," Kubbra expressed. "As an actor, I portray myriad human roles, and I have zero space to judge my character."

Kubbra Sait's journey is one of deliberate evolution. What began as a pursuit of independence has grown into a deeper commitment to self-awareness, craft, and personal growth.

At Bangalore Raani, her story resonated not because it was glamorous, but because it was honest. And that's what truly defines the essence of this city: the 'swalpa adjust madi' (please adjust a little) moments that teach patience, resilience, and adaptability.