Saachi Tiwari (circled) with Shah Rukh Khan during an ad shoot. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

In 10 years, it’s just role reversal off the silver screen.

In 2004, one Rakesh Tiwari went all the way from Maoist-hit Kashigawon village in Rohtas to Mumbai to try his luck in the Bollywood. But in 2014, his daughter Saachi has made it big — not her father.

Saachi, hardly five years old, has already worked with biggies like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan among others. She has shared screen space with Big B in an ad film while she acted along with King Khan in a soft drinks ad. Saachi has also rubbed shoulders with Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar for an ad film.

Saachi’s CV is not limited to doing ad films. Recently, she has acted in the Hollywood film, The Hundred-Foot Journey, starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri and Juhi Chawla.

At present, the wunderkind stays in Mumbai with her parents, Rakesh Tiwari and Priya Tiwari.

In Bollywood, she was praised for her performance in Rajjo with Kangana Ranaut. “Saachi has been offered roles in several ad films as well as popular TV serials like CID, Badalte Rishte Ki Dastan, and Shapath,” Priya said.

Priya said Saachi is paid anything between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh for her role depending on the brand she has working for. “Money is not an issue right now,” she added.

Saachi’s father Rakesh said: “It’s like a dream come true for me. I feel pride to be a father of a little girl who has achieved so much in just two years.” She has many roles in the pipeline.

Saachi’s maternal grandfather Badrinath Tiwari, a retired Hindi professor of Veer Kuer Singh University in Ara, said Rakesh has been associated with the film industry for almost a decade now. “Rakesh had gone to Mumbai in mid-2004 to pursue his dream of becoming an actor,” he said.

“She is a talented girl and we hope she will win accolades for the family and the state where working in films is considered a taboo,” Badrinath added.

Rakesh’s father Bipin Bihari is a teacher with a government high school in Banjari, a Maoist-hit area in Rohtas.

Rakesh and Priya had visited Sasaram with Saachi about six months ago to attend a function. “Our family has a rich cultural heritage. And we want to keep it alive,” Badrinath said. Priya said Saachi was also offered role in a Bhojpuri film by actor Ravi Kishan, but she couldn’t take the role because of her exam.