6 min readUpdated: Aug 28, 2026 06:50 PM IST
Before actor Nimisha Sajayan delved into the emotional journey of the titular protagonist in the film Babita Singh Reporting, she went through a physical transformation. She had to gain 14 kilos. It was one of the most challenging aspects of essaying the role of the people-pleasing assistant to sub-inspector (ASI) Babita Singh, aka Baby. The transformation changed everything — from her walk and body language to her food habits and the way she dressed. For the actor, it was a rewarding experience since it brought her “closer to the character”.
Babita Singh Reporting joins a section of films and shows that are set in India’s small towns and examines the lives of women, their ambitions and search for identity. It follows Babita aka Baby who returns to her hometown of Rewa for a family function, after being suspended from duty. When her childhood friend Bansi, played by Barun Sobti, is found dead, she investigates his death despite resistance from those around her. This eventually nudges her to assert her identity and make her own choices. The film that released on Prime Video on August 28 is directed by Ambiecka Pandit, written by Amita Vyas and executive produced by Sudip Sharma.
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Still from Babita Singh Reporting.
“Baby is someone who always wants people around her to be happy. She often puts their needs before her own. Her realisation that it’s okay to live the life she wants is very subtle. When Baby is going through this transformation, it’s not very loud or heroic, but internal. We don’t suddenly see her becoming a different person. That’s the beauty of Baby, and that’s going to resonate with most women,” says Nimisha.
The 29-year-old actor, who made her acting debut with Dileesh Pothan’s Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017), has been part of a number of acclaimed films and shows, including The Great Indian Kitchen (2021), Poacher (2023) and Dabba Cartel (2025), in which she has played fascinating women characters who don’t conform to prevalent mainstream moulds.
By her own admission, Nimisha “fell in love with Baby” when she first read the script. Calling herself “a greedy actor”, she says, “I just wanted to experience Baby’s journey. That’s the reason I was ready to do anything for this role — from getting rid of my unibrow to gaining weight.”
The journey of Babita Singh, believes Pandit, will make the viewers empathise with people “who struggle to find their voice and do not take up space because they don’t feel welcome to.”
Still from Babita Singh Reporting.
Even though several actors, including Bhumi Pednekar for Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) and Aamir Khan for Dangal (2016), have gained weight to make the portrayal of a certain character authentic, this is not an easy choice. Yet, Nimisha took up the challenge. “It took me two months to gain around 14 kg. We started with 1,200 calories a day and eventually it went up to 8,000. It was a nightmare but I enjoyed the process. During the weight loss period, I felt as if a part of Baby was leaving me, mentally and physically,” says the Eeda actor.
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Commenting on such commitment to realistic storytelling, Sharma says, “This film would not be the same film without Nimisha agreeing to put on the weight. The same way a Paatal Lok would not be the same without Jaideep Ahlawat agreeing to put on that weight for the character of Hathiram. The process of transformation helps the actors under the skin of the character.” Sharma is the creator of widely-praised shows Paatal Lok and Kohrra.
While workshops helped Nimisha in shaping her character, on the sets she pushed herself to do physically-challenging scenes. In one scene, she jumps over a fence when dogs are chasing her. “For that scene, we had a stuntperson on the set. We got the shot in a way that the stuntperson’s face was not visible. But I asked Ambiecka if I could give it a shot. She said we would do only one take. If we did not get it right, then we won’t try anymore. However, we managed to get the shot,” recalls Nimisha.
Some key scenes of Babita Singh Reporting feature Nimisha and Barun Sobti, who delivers a brief but compelling performance as Bansi, her childhood friend. Sharing how he roped in Sobti for the role, Sharma says, “When Barun was dubbing for Kohrra and we were taking a smoke break, I told him about the Babita Singh Reporting. He agreed to do the film on the condition he was not going to be paid for it.”
Talking about the kind of films that Nimisha has chosen to be part of, she says, “If a film is trying to convey something that reflects what’s happening in the society, I would like to be part of that. However, I should agree to what kind of a message the film is trying to convey.”
Does she have a dream role? “I have never played a negative character. I would love to play something like The Joker in The Dark Knight.”
Still from Babita Singh Reporting.
Still from Babita Singh Reporting.