Actor Kubbra Sait opens up about the bullying she endured as a child — and how years later, the stage became her sanctuary, her voice, and her strength.
At a recent podcast, actor Kubbra Sait talked about a lesser-known period of her life in a very intimate and poignant way—her fight against bullying as a child. Kubbra Sait was a young child dealing with bullying and mocking long before she gained popularity for her standout performance in Sacred Games. She was picked out for things she couldn’t control, such her name, her hair, or even the colour of her eyes.
Her voice is calm, composed — but every word carries the weight of lived experience. “As a child, I didn’t know how to make sense of it. I felt isolated. I felt invisible. But now, I see the very things they tried to break me for as my greatest advantages. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
They mocked me for my name, my hair, my eyes — but those are my superpowers now.
Kubbra Sait’s sense of self-worth was permanently damaged by the abuse, which went beyond simple playground taunting. The jokes got worse and the loneliness deeper as she grew older. However, her path changed when, at the age of 13, she joined in a course on self-esteem building and personality development. This was an uncommon intervention, but it subtly sowed the seeds of recovery.
It took 20 years to truly absorb that wisdom. But it stayed with me. It changed me.
Kubbra Sait thought, “Imagine going through that at 13 and then taking another 20 years to really incorporate that knowledge into your life. However, it is what took place. It remained in my memory. It helped to change me.”
The theater industry was the pivotal event. “I found something lovely after delving so far within myself. I discovered a theater. Crowds were comforting to me. I discovered self-assurance in my flesh.” What used to make her feel “weird” turned into a source of strength! Her voice replaced what had previously silenced her.
