'There are no small roles, only small actors': Kubbra Sait recalls how Salman Khan helped shape her role in 'Ready'

Long before she became one of Indian streaming's most talked-about characters with her portrayal of Kuku in 'Sacred Games', Kubbra Sait was an eager newcomer waiting nervously for a nod of approval in a Mumbai audition room. In a recent candid video, the actress revisited that pivotal moment—her audition for Anees Bazmee's blockbuster 'Ready', starring Salman Khan—and shared how a small, dialogue-less role ultimately changed the course of her career.Kubbra recounted the memory with a mix of nostalgia and humour, describing how she dressed up for the occasion and waited anxiously for the director's approval. In her own words: "This audition is the audition where I wore, like, a short black dress and waited for Anees Bazmee to walk into the office and give me a nod of approval. This was an audition where I was now going to be playing a maid in the film 'Ready', and I am so excited about this. The crazy self-belief I always had while doing this film because this film was a new experience for me. Like, I had never done a film."What makes the story even more remarkable is that Kubbra Sait originally had no lines in the film at all. Salman Khan himself came up with the idea that transformed her minor role into a memorable one. As Kubbra recalled, "I did not actually have any lines in the film at all, but then, like, Salman Khan, he was like, 'Why don't you make her like the maid who talks in broken language, like in broken English?' And Anees sir really liked the idea, and that's why I have lines in the film."Despite the enthusiasm Kubbra brought to the role, those around her were far less convinced. She candidly recalled the scepticism she faced: "Every person told me I was mad, I was mental, and I was impatient for doing Sunaina Kapoor's role in 'Ready'. But if I had not done 'Ready', if I were not mad enough to do Ready, I would have never been Kuku."Kubbra closed her story with a powerful piece of advice for anyone starting out in the industry: "Never say never. And there are no small roles. There are only small actors. One learning for the rest of your life."Kubbra Sait will next feature in David Dhawan's 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', starring Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur. The movie is set to release in theatres on June 5, 2026.