Soha Ali Khan, who grew up in an environment rich in art and culture, visited the recently restored Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. During the tour, the actor-author spoke to us about how she was attracted to museums from a young age and how her daughter Inaaya is taking a keen interest in the same.

Recalling her childhood days where her parents Sharmila Tagore and late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi would often take Soha and her siblings, Saif Ali Khan and Saba Pataudi, for museum visits, Soha says, “Amma and Abba loved taking us to museums, especially during our holidays in England. My brother studied there, and my father, who also studied in the UK, enjoyed visiting in the summer. Amma’s favourite was always the Natural History Museum with its dinosaurs and fossils. I recently took Inaaya there while shooting in London, and she loved it. The roaring, motorized dinosaurs made her feel like she was in Jurassic Park.”

The family also visited the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Tower of London, where the Koh-i-Noor is displayed. “Inaaya keeps saying she’ll write to the monarchy and demand our diamond back!” Soha adds with a smile.

The actress-author explains how even in Inaaya’s school, they encourage immersive art programs. “They’ve taken the kids to exhibitions by Yayoi Kusama and even had them paint their own Mona Lisas (self-portraits) after studying Da Vinci. It’s a hands-on approach; they learn theory and get messy with paint,” she shares. Soha extends this approach to other cultural elements including music, mythology, and real-world stories.

“We talk about astronauts like Sunita Williams and how her journey reflects resilience. It’s relevant, it's human, and it teaches values along with history.”

For Soha, teaching her daughter about heritage isn’t about memorizing facts and timelines, it’s about sharing stories and creating sensory experiences. “The best way to introduce a child to art and history is to make it fun and interactive – not just tell them about it or read from a book. Museums connect us to history in ways books sometimes can’t. We go to museums with child-friendly exhibits. I point out paintings at home and talk about artists like Van Gogh. Inaaya now recognizes Sunflowers, Starry Night and even Da Vinci.”

Soha’s eyes light up when talking about a dream destination. “One museum I’d love to visit, and maybe even contribute to, is the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia. It’s filled with small things people hold on to after a breakup – plane tickets, notes, even those sickness bags from flights. There’s a whole section on long-distance relationships. I think it’s such a beautiful and moving idea.”

Location courtesy: Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan welcomed their second child, a baby boy, on February 21 this year. However, there’s been silence on the name they plan to keep for him. This is unlike the time when Taimur was born; his name was not only revealed within weeks of his birth, but the first visuals of the newborn also surfaced on social media within days.

We’ve heard that Kareena and Saif have been toying with several names for their second born, but are yet to finalise one for official documentation.

However, BT has it that they currently call him Jeh. Hearsay is that the royal Pataudi couple has been deliberating over various names, including Mansoor, the name of Saif’s father, cricket legend Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. We reached out to Saif for a comment, but he had not responded till we went to press.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 30, 2020)

He was in Jaipur for the shooting of the 2007 action-thriller Eklavya: The Royal Guard. Producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra had put him up at the Trident Hotel, but Saif Ali Khan slipped off to the Rambagh Palace and was sitting on the lawn, feeling like a movie star, when his mother, Sharmila Tagore, called. In the course of the conversation, she told him that he should do Shakespeare. “Maybe Othello,” she suggested.

By a happy coincidence, the next day, Vishal Bhardwaj approached him for Omkara, his Indianised adaptation of Othello. “I jumped at the chance, telling him my mother wanted me to play Othello,” the actor reminisces 14 years later, adding that the filmmaker admitted then that he actually wanted him for Iago aka Ishwar ‘Langda’ Tyagi. In response to Saif’s “Why not Othello?” Vishal pointed out that he was handsome while the Moor had been complexed about his looks, so he wouldn’t suit the part. “He was bluffing, but he did it well,” laughs Saif. The film opened on July 28, 2006, and made Langda Tyagi iconic.

Saif acknowledges that he had studied Shakespeare in school, but since he wasn’t thinking of becoming an actor then, it was more academic rather than artistic material. “But as Al Pacino says, the best practice for a western actor is to read Shakespeare. His language, meter, and the expression with which the words are delivered, all make for a great study. And Othello is the only play where the villain has more lines, great lines at that,” he avers.

The idea of playing a villager from the UP belt was challenging because, as the actor points out, despite his anglicised, English school background, he had a very Indian upbringing, with exposure to small towns like Shimla, Mussoorie, and Dehradun. “The Haryanvi Jat Hindi I spoke in the film was what I had heard all my life in Pataudi. So, I picked it up in a month. I was always good with accents and I can still speak it today,” he asserts, musing that when he sees his interviews from the time he was promoting the film, he finds himself explaining the dynamics of the role and the language in a strong angrezi accent. “I am comfortable with my education and background and so, don’t feel the need to live the role of the UP gangster.”

And what did his mother think of his performance? Saif can’t remember, but he recalls his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, telling him that while he’d done a good job, he hadn’t understood a word of what he was saying. The performance got him plenty of accolades and awards in the Best Villain category. There were rave reviews and letters of appreciation, from Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan. “People were saying Omkara is the highpoint of my career and I was thinking the high couldn’t come this early. Still, it was encouraging when seasoned actors called me Khan saab on the sets and accepted me as one of their own, instead of dismissing me as a boy from a privileged background who had got lucky, or a star from mainstream Bollywood,” he admits.

Saif was almost unrecognisable as Langda Tyagi, with yellowed teeth, an overgrown nail on little finger and a buzz cut. “I was shocked when Vishal told me that I’d have to cut my hair really short. Many, including my mother, tried to dissuade me, but he would say, ‘Bal qurbaan kar do’ and I did,” he recounts.

There was also the limp that gave him the name Langda. Vishal had suggested a loping limp, but Saif informs that he didn’t want to get into the disabled space. “Langda was not the kind of guy who’d get beaten up; he would do some damage himself even if it was through his scheming, rather than physically,” he reasons. So he opted for a slight limp, wearing one shoe with an extra heel to make his gait uneven and reminding himself to limp when he was on camera.

Would he play the role any differently today, you wonder, now that he is a more mature and accomplished actor? After a reflective pause, Saif says, “Maybe I would work on one or two bits which, in retrospect, seem not so good. But, for the most part, I’d do pretty much the same.”

And is there any other Shakespearean play he’d want to adapt? “Well, I always did find a parallel between the Bard’s characters and Mughal rulers. So, if I got a chance, I’d play Richard III like Aurangzeb, Hamlet as Dara Shikoh and King Lear as Shah Jahan,” signs off the history buff.

Saif Ali Khan on social distancing, spending time with the classics, gardening with son and rustling up meals
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 4, 2020)

The lockdown in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic may have left many of his B-Town colleagues bored, restless and frazzled, but Saif Ali Khan is at peace. “It’s like a long voyage on a 19th century ship. You can see the land from afar, but you are separated from it by an expanse of water,” the actor muses, pointing out that in the 21st century, we at least have technology to help us communicate and stay connected. “But it’s important to know how to spend time at sea and adapt to the changes in lifestyle that comes from being shut in because even sailors suffer from cabin fever.”

Saif has come up with a timetable he is trying to stick to. “I wake up early and get some exercise in. Fortunately, we have a treadmill at home and I’m coaxing Kareena (Kapoor, actress-wife) to give me some yoga lessons. Chasing my kid (Taimur) around the house is also a good workout,” he chuckles.

This is followed by some gardening with his son in their little balcony garden. “I remember my grandmother pruning and grafting roses. Now, I’m the one explaining the concept of growing plants to Taimur, teaching him how to press the seeds into the mud in the pots and pour water, and then wait for the seedlings to peep out with surprised delight. Today, we planted tomatoes; it’s all very nice and peaceful. With both parents around all the time, my son is having a blast,” Saif drawls.

Since the actor wants these weeks of inactivity to be an educative phase, in the second half of the day, he catches up on his reading. Magazines and newspapers online, along with some plays of Shakespeare and classics like Crime and Punishment, War and Peace, Paradise Lost figure on the list. “These are books I always wanted to read but never got around to. Some of them, like Paradise Lost, John Milton’s epic poem in blank verse, had seemed intimidating earlier, but now I find it’s easy to read, simple and interesting,” he informs with surprising delight, adding that he is also taking some online guitar classes.

Evenings, between 6 pm-7 pm, are reserved for relaxation. Even though there’s no possibility of going out, Saif says that he makes an effort to shower and change his clothes before sitting down for dinner. “Then, a nice show or a new movie before trotting off to bed. Over the weekends, we use a phone app to get in touch with friends and family, chat virtually, sometimes over a glass of wine to take off the edge,” he shares.

He must be worried about mom Sharmila and sister Saba, who are in Delhi? “I do worry about my mother, but she is suddenly sounding extremely wise, saying she has had a full life and has no regrets. It’s scary, listening to such stuff,” he avers, adding his sister is a little upset with him. “She believes we knew about this happening well in advance and kept the news from her. I’m also not getting to see my other sister (Soha) these days, but we call each other often. When on a voyage, you do cut off from everything and everyone.”

It’s a quiet life, but Saif is okay with not being around people who are energetic, reveling in the simple pleasures, like playing football in the corridor with his son and watching the sunset, listening to ’70s music and rustling up delicious meals for his family. Yes, the best part of social distancing for Saif is that he’s getting to brush up on his culinary skills, which he had discovered during the prep and filming of Chef. “Both my parents liked being in the kitchen. My father (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi), being from Bhopal, liked his meat, particularly mutton, kebabs and chapati. My mother prefers rice and Bengali dishes, mostly fish. I would marvel at how she could sort out the bones while talking and how he would get the cook to make dishes exactly the way he liked them, with precise instructions. He was the Indian cricket captain, on the field and in the kitchen, too,” the actor reminisces.

For Saif, cooking is therapeutic and magical, too. “It’s like alchemy, you mix different things together and come up with something new,” he marvels, pointing out that his wife was impressed with his spaghetti and meatballs, made with two different kinds of meat.

It has encouraged him to think of rice and fish curry now. “Something light and simple to make, maybe a Mediterranean dish with olives, since I mostly experiment with Italian cuisine,” he murmurs, admitting that while his mother is peaceful in the kitchen, he’s a totalitarian chef who doesn’t like being told what to do.

When he is making dinner, he starts around 7 pm and is done by 8.30 pm. His mother was delighted with the roast chicken with garlic and rosemary he made when she was in town. “She was relieved, too. She thinks now that I know how to cook, I will be all right in life,” he laughs fondly, adding that though he is not working these days, he is not spending too much either. “No insane bills, just simple living and healthy eating.”

Charting journey of a superstar Saif Ali Khan who's constantly upgraded like a web app!
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; November 7, 2019)

This is the first edition of Sit With Hitlist held outside our midday office-studio. Guess it had to be with Saif Ali Khan. For, besides a superstar, Saif is also a 'Nawab'. And when the Nawab summons, well, you show up! That said, it's only fair that we begin this conversation with Saif, negating a rather popular notion. Which is…

You get called the 'Nawab', which inheritance-wise, you are [of Pataudi]. But the fact is you're actually a self-made actor, having taken nothing from parents, ever since you moved to Bombay, at 20!
Yes, thank you. I've learnt that you cannot argue against narratives — whether or not they're true. People have a certain fixed notion. For that matter, even [with] Pataudi [palace], when my father [Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi] died, it got rented to Neemrana Hotels. Aman [Nath] and Francis [Wacziarg] used to run [the hotel]. Francis passed away. He'd said that if I wanted [the palace] back, I could let him know. I said: I want it back. They held a conference, and said, okay, you have to give us lots of money!

Right.
Which I then consequently earned. So, even the house I'm supposed to have inherited has been earned back through money from films. You can't live off the past. At least we can't in our family, because there was nothing. There is history, culture, beautiful photographs; and, of course, some land. It has been a privileged upbringing. But there's been no inheritance.

You moved to a rented apartment in Bombay, is that how it worked?
I was born and even raised in Bombay. My father lived with my mother in her [Carmichael Road] flat; I went to Cathedral, spent time in Bombay Gym — in a world more influenced by my father's, than films.

He had just finished playing cricket. His last Test series was when I was four/five. My mother [actor Sharmila Tagore] says he was bunking his responsibilities. His mother was looking after things in Bhopal and Pataudi. She'd got old. So we moved to Delhi to live with her.

It was a nice, big old house in Delhi, which she had been given for her lifetime, in return for land, property and other kinds of deals that these old [royal] families had made with the Indian government.

That'd be 1971 [when privy purses were abolished], right?
1971, exactly. So, that's why we moved to Delhi. I had fun. That was the generation of designers like Rohit Bal, Rohit Khosla, Ashish Soni… These were the first people I came across, doing something off-beat, in terms of art, culture. Which might have planted a seed [within me] to go and act in films!

You did start off with an ad.
My father sent me to an ad agency to get a job, because I was partying a lot.

Where were you partying?
In Ghunghroo [discotheque at Delhi's Maurya Sheraton]. It was fantastic. My father put me on a bus to an ad agency in Sunder Nagar. One of my jobs was to make religious calendars for Birlas. The only creative [call] was whether we should put Lord Vishnu in October, or November. I soon lost interest!

And the Gwalior ad happened?
Which, again, had to do with my father. My parents were shooting a Gwalior ad together. Honestly the way my upbringing was, the kind of life I'd had, or lack of confidence — I wasn't a cinematic figure, in terms of being shot in photos. I was effeminate, coy, shy, unsure, worst qualities for a...

A leading man?
As an actor in Bombay, yes. But not bad for a western, academic school-boy. That was a different culture altogether. So some quick learning was required.

And then you moved to Bombay. Where did you first rent a place?
In Lokhandwala; a building called Red Rose One. It was a small flat with cane furniture. The producer's daughter had very kindly done it up for me. Until one night I came home with friends, and couldn't open the bedroom door. She had locked it. I think she had a plan. There was a big gap between the door and carpet. I peeped from under, and could see her lying like a whale on my bed. And I thought I'm not going in there. So we went out again!

You began your career pretty much by yourself, and it was, I hear, a disastrous start! Take us through it?
So I went to a really academic, school — the oldest in England — Winchester. The idea [of being there] was obvious. You go to Oxford [or a similar place] thereafter. That hadn't worked out. I was in the black books of my parents, what with Delhi, partying and Ghungroo. I was getting scared. Because there was nothing I was interested in.

After the Gwalior ad, when [director] Anand Mahendroo mentioned a film [to me], bells started ringing. The thought of moving to Bombay sounded so exciting. I remember having that shower in Delhi, in that old house, which had funny water [plumbing], it wouldn't work half the time, and I'd fiddle with it, too hot or too cold…

Saif, you're digressing.
Sorry. Chipkalis [lizards] on the ceiling. Okay, stop! I remember that shower and being excited about a kind of life I could see — coming to Bombay, struggling, little rented flat, films, meeting people, collaborating… It is the only job that, from 18, when I started considering it seriously, I've always been passionate about.

Were you not a movie buff?
Yeah, but a western, as in American, movie-buff. When I was young and my mother [Sharmila Tagore] was an actor, I'd see her crying on screen. It's not something I enjoyed. Hindi films in the '70s were also overtly emotional.

So, Anand Mahendroo...
He offers me this movie, and comes to Ghungroo. I tell my friends, "Hey guys, this is my director..." He has a couple of vodkas. The same guys tell me, "Bro, your director friend is in the bathroom [throwing up]!" I should've realised we were in a bit of trouble. We came to Bombay. Sattee Shourie was our producer. Then somebody told me a story about an ambitious film she had made called Farishtay [1991] with Vinod Khanna. There were panthers chasing him in a shot in that film. She ran out of money during shoot. In the same scene, when he [Khanna] comes around the corner, there are no panthers. Because no money. So, she got some dogs, and painted them black. This is after she had been kidnapped by a cab-union driver!

That was your first producer!
Yes, she used to pay me Rs 1,000 a week. And I'd have to kiss her 10 times on the cheek. Anyway, she had a fight with the director, and I got saved. Because the film got shelved. Then, Rahul Rawail cast me in his film.

And that was a disaster too?
Kamal Sadanah was in the movie. So he [Rawail] threw out Kamal, and took me — for no fault of Kamal's. And then found out that I was worse, and threw me out. And took him!

Apparently you showed up drunk on set, slept off...
You've done your research. But no, that's not true. Nobody turns up drunk on set. I was just not subservient, sitting around all day. There could've been some attitude problem, which I myself wasn't seeing. I [probably] didn't understand how serious things are. You might come across as really cocky, because you think it's really funny, when it's not.

Did you make friends easily in Bombay though?
I did. Many of them are producers now. Some of them are in LA. I remember Dileep Singh Rathore [Hollywood production manager for Blood Diamond, The Dark Knight Rises] and I used to do acting classes together. And we'd get asked to take our shirts off; another guy would do push-ups with his shirt off. All the things [work-place sensitisation] happening lately is good. This crap's been going on forever. Luckily, we were like, no bro, we're not doing this.

And then you finally debuted with Yash Chopra.
It is personal and I don't want to dwell much on it — I also ran away from home, and got married at 20. And I've to give Amrita [Singh], my ex-wife, credit for being the only person who taught me to take it all [work/show-business] seriously. She said you can't hit the target while laughing at it. That's when Parampara happened.

Yash ji called to say he was looking for a fourth lead, or something. I was like, great; yeah, anything. I'll do it. It's like investment in stock—if Yash Chopra is taking him in Parampara, [the industry believes] let's invest in this. For me, it was as simple as, this has to work. There's nothing else. That focus was required. And taught to me, and I inculcated.

If we watch retro Lehren [video-magazine] interviews from back then, it seems like you, now, and that guy are two different people!
I sometimes find myself doing the same stuff. Maybe I haven't changed! But it's an age, and exposure thing. Your upbringing, the culture you're given, and the academic grounding that teaches you to be humble, understated… They come flooding back later. Not when you were trying to fit in — giving gaalis, drinking Bacardi, being one of the boys in the '90s; and then you question: Do I want to be known like that? Or should I be comfortable about how I express? It's true for people. I've read characters in plays that are rebellious, and then embrace everything they rebelled against.

I meant more in terms of the duality between who you were as a person, and what you did [in terms of movies] in the '90s.
For sure. Because you had to fit into a certain mould in the '90s. There wasn't that much room for experimentation. Aamir Khan said he'll do max five films a year, when others were doing 15! Shakti Kapoor said he felt insecure when he didn't have 17 films on floor!

You still had some hits to keep you going though.
This is an organic kind of an industry. Like crude oil, you distil off at different temperatures. So people find their own level. And you need a certain amount of success to survive. So Parampara, the great Yash ji film, didn't work. It was his 'safe' film after Lamhe didn't run. Aamir, who did Parampara, got offered Darr. I was the fourth lead. And got offered Yeh Dillagi, a smaller film, with Akshay Kumar also in it. But my role was fun, music was great, so I scored something there.

As a person, did it occur to you that you're not exactly that 'Ole Ole' fellow [from Yeh Dillagi]?
In fact that merge [of sensibilities] is happening now. Which is a sign of some civilisation. Earlier, what you do for a living had nothing to do with what you are [as a person]. The minute we're on set, we are equal; and just part of this thing, and it doesn't matter what...

We know our '90s movies. But can't recall Yaar Gaddar, Dil Tera Diwana, Udaan, Keemat: They are Back, Humse Badhkar Kaun, Suraksha, Aao Pyaar Karein… Can you?
Every single one. Perhaps not the ones you mention, but a lot of these films in that time, had great music. That kind of helped [us] survive. You could be an audio hero. I think, I kind of was — quite presentable doing a lot of songs. As for performance, even a big star said, what is acting? Just say your lines in a sincere fashion! Which is how it remained for the longest. There was also the 'Mr Bachchan' hangover.

Dil Chahta Hai [DCH], in that sense, is obviously Saif 2.0.
I would have to say it is people like [director] Farhan [Akhtar] and Aamir Khan, who were effecting change, and I benefitted. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do DCH. I was the third lead, while playing hero in multiple films. Aamir asked me about films I was hero in. I named them. He said this film [DCH] is about three times the size of all those put together —Can you get on the page, it is good cinema, you have to do it.

But you'd done ensemble and two-hero movies — Kacche Dhaage, Main Khiladi Tu Anari were huge hits.
I grew up watching a lot of WWII ensemble movies, or Dirty Dozen, with various heroes. So when LOC, or a two-hero film happened, I'd think of Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill. In my head there's nothing wrong with it. I've always been happy to compete with the other guy as well. I'm like — you might be the biggest star; but I am going to give you a run for your money. The idea of a buddy-movie was also being liked at the point.

After DCH, there appears to have emerged a certain confidence. How many Bollywood stars have attempted an English film? You did Being Cyrus [2006].
Also, Kalakaandi [2018]. With Being Cyrus, there was the question of the English sounding natural. American is the language of our English. [Director] Homi [Adajania] wanted me to sound a little Indian. We had to get it right. This is what's happening today — guys who basically speak Hindi are better actors. Language is the thing.

But this is when you were doing something new, rather than simply trying to fit in?
This is around the time I got offered a Pepsi ad. Cola commercial was a barometer of success. Both Coke and Pepsi came to see me, when we were shooting Eklavya. I felt like, don't know what's happening! I chose Coke. Because I just like the drink.

You can't tell between the two.
I can.

You should do a blind-test.
Okay, I'll probably get it wrong — even with single malt, and some rubbish. So we were set to sign, somebody said you can't do Coke; we'll throw you out. You've signed up for Lay's Chips, owned by Pepsi. So...

What does that have to do with Being Cyrus?
Well that was the time when things were coming together. I was at the right place, and also looking like the right guy — it was no longer that funny haircut. Films like Omkara and interesting stuff with Yash Raj were coming together.

And you were killing it with the dialect in Omkara. Tough?
Kind of. But despite perception and projection, I am not actually English, you know! I have grown up in Pataudi, which is in Haryana. I have heard that dialect all my life.

Saif 3.0: You turn producer with Love Aaj Kal. I'm told [director] Imtiaz Ali offered you Rockstar first. True?
Yes, that's right! Of all the ideas, Love Aaj Kal just sounded a bit more commercial, although not the way he wanted to make it. He had quite a grim ending in mind, where this flaky guy finally returns to find out that his girl is eight-months' pregnant. We had to plead with him, until when we were on set in London, he said alright, we can have a happy ending!

Which makes sense, because by then you were the quintessential rom-com leading man; Bollywood's own Hugh Grant, as it were.
Yeah [Hugh Grant], I've heard Karan Johar say that as well. Don't know where it came from. I remember Aditya Chopra telling me that he's got Shah Rukh Khan, who's the king of box-office. That there's this thing called the 'multiplex hero' coming up. And that he's trying to get a handle on it. And he thinks that I could be that multiplex hero, because I'm a little different. Cast correctly, I should hit that genre. So he started making Hum Tum, Salaam Namaste.

Rom-coms seem to have died altogether. In Hollywood, it's all Marvel anyway. And here…
My wife [Kareena Kapoor] told me that that genre has changed into [films like] Badhaai Ho. Don't know if true. Think she means the lead character, trying to figure out life in New York etc., is passé. Also, confusion, being unsure, a bit of a mess, is the hallmark of the rom-com hero. Because there is no villain. Villain is your flaky self. Which, maybe, doesn't fit well, when you're supposedly more grown-up. Maybe she [Kareena] just doesn't want to see me like that!

Still with [producer] Saif 3.0, you did a zombie-comedy [Go Goa Gone] in Bollywood —spoof/subversion of a genre, while we hadn't had a proper zombie film!
It seemed like a good, entertaining idea. Frankly I don't think I'm a great producer. What I love might not be everybody's cup of tea. A great producer can tell: Okay, this is a joke, as in an amazing, four-line anecdote; not a film. Or this is a film. Or this is a short-story/book. He can sort out different mediums. Within films, he should also be able to tell at what budget that story should be made. Don't think I have that ability.

[Referring to Sriram Raghavan's] Agent Vinod, that you wanted to make?
I made a mistake. I thought Jack Bauer from 24; so why not an Indian Agent Vinod? Apart from a complicated script, we missed out on the character's 'Indianness'. This guy was looking bit too western — dinner-jacket, suaveness. He should've been wearing chashma, holding a ball-pen...

Did you decide to shelve the film during its making?
No, again, Dinesh Vijan was [co-]producing. He is good at balancing stuff. What had happened was that we were shooting at a heritage site —action-sequence, with machine guns and all. We needed to blow up stuff. So we said, okay, there are a couple of beautiful, medieval temple structures...

No!
Of course not! We built replicas 100 yards away. The people there went nuts, suggesting that we were blowing up the complex. They stopped our shoot. We had to reschedule, scrap what we were doing, etc. But we managed.

Curious to know, why did you name your company Illuminati? Anything to do with the conspiracy-theory about a society of elites that secretly rules the world?
No. There was something about illumination and light. There's also the fact about Illuminati being a group of people, including Isaac Newton etc, who questioned authority of Church and talked about importance of secular knowledge. But, ultimately, 'Illuminati' is to illuminate. And that is what a film projector does. Johnny Depp had a production company called Infinitum Nihil —'nothing is impossible'. And I used to look up to him. Now he's been replaced by Tom Hardy.

Why did you and [your co-producer] Vijan part ways?
Because Dinesh Vijan is on his way to becoming a big film-producer. I wanted someone to run my production company. Which is fair. That's why people usually leave. I don't want to make films for 20 other people. I see myself as more of an actor.

In Cocktail, you did offer the lead role to other people.
We did. I only stepped into Cocktail, because Ranbir [Kapoor] and Imran [Khan] didn't want to do it. So I said, okay, I'll do it. They should remember that.

Stepping into Saif 4.0: Your entire career put together would be the polar opposite of the subdued Sartaj Singh from Sacred Games [on Netflix]. Conscious call?
It's got a lot to do with [director/show-runner] Vikram Motwane. On Day One, we were in Madh Island. Distance wise, this was painful for me, before the ferry, I realised…. Okay, I digress.

Right.
So I was doing an investigation scene. And he [Motwane] said, cut, and just told me to bring my energy levels down: "You're too hyper!" It was a different kind of communication from anything I had done before — the feeling of trusting the camera, and not showing what you feel. It was the first piece of film I had ever worked on with that thehraav.

You've been talking about unlearning, reading acting books etc, something you didn't do before.
But before that, a little bit of background. Which is about the way we were brought up in the movies. I don't know about Dilip Kumar Saab, and Amitabh Bachchan. But after the '60s and '70s, there was a creative slump, where the attitude with cool guys was: We don't talk about acting, work… Who learns lines? It was like how we used to laugh at nerdy kids in school. People used to wonder why Aamir is taking things seriously—there was just this whole attitude of 'unseriousness'. There was a glamour and starry vibe. It certainly wasn't about prepping for work, which has changed.

You were the first Bollywood star to green-light a web series. And you said no to Homeland, is that true?
Well, I was asked to read for Homeland, which I did, and then asked to come down to LA or New Zealand to read some more. I could have pursued it more aggressively. But I was busy here. I remember [daughter] Sara [Ali Khan] helping me a lot, people getting excited. But it wasn't a great part. It wasn't the main lead. The part went to an Etonian [Damien Lewis]. Now you can't have a Winchester boy playing [second fiddle to an Etonian]!

Would Sacred Games be the first time your school-friends watched your work?
Yes, good point. And they are quite academic, and say things like, it's really interesting that a Muslim guy plays Sardar, and in this kind of world, that's good contribution!

(Audience) Pacing of Sacred Games 2 came under question. What did you make of it?
I didn't like the second season as much as I liked the first, which was the newest and most interesting thing I had ever seen on TV, from any country. It was a mafia show with a disturbed cop. But it [Season 2] became a bit esoteric and slow, with the treatment of the guru with Gaitonde.

'I did not like Sacred Games Season 2,' reads like a headline!
But, you know, I didn't. We were in England. It was my birthday [when the season dropped]. Five of us had rented a country-cottage, including a South American book publisher friend of mine, who also speaks a bit of Hindi, loves different cultures. We opened a bottle of Champagne, got Netflix on...

That was your premiere.
Yes. We didn't even tell Kareena. And we sat. After a while I said, okay, I'll watch this on my own later. That didn't happen with Season 1. I shouldn't probably say this.

(Audience) In [Raghavan's] Ek Hasina Thi [EHT], you play the most believable f***boy. How did you pull it off?"
I was just happy to play something cooler, and darker. I'd liked Alain Delon movies, of a doomed bad-boy, on the wrong side of mafia…

Alain Delon, for the uninitiated, being the great French actor.
My mum's favourite. They took him to Hollywood to become James Dean. He said he couldn't be bothered to learn English. Only the French can do that!

What happened in the second half of EHT, though. You think it went a little berserk?
It did. Sriram and I have gone berserk a couple of times [laughs]. And then he does Andhadhun [without me]! I don't mean to sell Sriram out, but he paints himself into a corner, and then tries to write himself out of it. Which is great. But might not always work, although the good stuff about EHT outweighed...

The first half was killer.
Yeah.

(Audience) You've often gravitated towards morally corrupt characters. Does that give you more room?
I'm just interested in those situations, more than glory of God. Hrithik, for example, suits a Ram-like character.

What role did you play in Hum Saath Saath Hain?
Krishna — he's a naughty little version. Salman was Ram. I found it exhausting. One of the most tiring things is to be so happy and positive all the time. And Sooraj-ji [Barjatya] used to say, "Do it your way. But smile!"

How different is it to work with, say, Abbas-Mustan, from Sooraj Barjatya?
It took me a while to figure out Abbas-Mustan. Mustan Bhai would give instructions. Abbas Bhai would just keep saying, "Kamaal hai, kamaal hai." Then there's Hussain Bhai, the third brother, who is unsung — one of the best editors. He probably contributed the most to films like Race. They'd start shoot at 10 am, wrap at 5 pm. Love these guys, easiest shoot ever.

They never shoot nights.
They just can't. Then Akshaye Khanna told me that I was behaving like a star with them. That I'm not hugging them enough. That I should hang out, and give them more love!

I went to their room at Hilton, in South Africa. There was a white sheet on the floor they were sitting on, and having whiskey and peanuts. They asked me to join in. I sat there for a bit. At some point, they told me I don't have to do this [socialising], if I don't want to — just turn up on set, do my bit. That was great relief. We got along really well after. With Sooraj-ji, I just remember the sheer number of people coming to see him on set, touching his feet — from top heroine to struggling actresses.

Just to say hi on set?
In the most charming way! I remember Rekha ji coming to see him, and she's senior. That's power. And distributors would throw themselves at their feet on set, asking when's the film out, that there's a drought in theatres. They [Barjatyas] were the princes of the film industry. I remember Salman telling Sooraj-ji [about HSSH], "Do you think you'll give a hat-trick? It's quite rare." And I'm like, God, who talks to him like that! So, Abbas-Mustan and Rajshris are different sides of a coin.

Can't imagine Barjatyas on the floor, with booze and chakna.
Definitely, around the table, eating together. No, drinking, that's impossible!

Last question: You've been vocal about issues all along. But when the #MeToo movement happened, it seemed like you didn't say much, or anything; especially given that the head of the company managing you was accused.
But I said so much about #MeToo. Never heard? It's disgusting to make a workplace hostile. Whatever is happening is really good. I don't think there's any smoke without fire. But sometimes they [survivors] have to come forward. You have to. And we have to support these women. [At the same time] a guy's career can be destroyed, without any proof. So there are two things. You've got to be a little sure, before you destroy somebody, in any way. Also, whether it is a sign of our culture — we take down one or two juicy targets, that nobody really minds plucking out. Nobody touches the big boys! I don't know how civilised that is.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 10, 2019)

Bollywood’s chotte nawab Saif Ali Khan was in the news recently, after the pictures of him holidaying in Tuscany with wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and son Taimur, went viral. The actor, who has now made his television debut as a narrator on the show Kahan Hum Kahan Tum, tells BT that spending time with family is a luxury for actors.

He says, “When I come home after work and find Taimur sleeping, I feel bad. We shoot long hours, but if I haven’t packed up even after 8 pm, I feel uncomfortable because it means taking away time from my son. In my growing-up years, my parents taught me about the importance of respecting family space. My father (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi) was a cricketer and mother (Sharmila Tagore) is an actress, and they both had hectic schedules. However, we learnt that it is important to talk about other things, too, at home and that’s how life becomes beautiful.”

Saif also feels strongly about how people are not aware of the hard work that actors put in. He adds, “Behind our outwardly glamorous lives, there is a long list of missed birthdays, anniversaries, and new year holidays. In that sense, working on TV is harder and more intense than doing a film. Life goes on pretty fast and time flies. And I really feel that if you can’t spend time with family and loved ones it is really a waste.” 

Saif Ali Khan on how Sacred Games boosted the confidence of filmmakers in him, and how he will continue to reinvent himself
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 21, 2018)

Your last theatrical release, Kaalakaandi (2017), and your upcoming film, Baazaar, both were delayed. Does this affect you as an actor?
It depends on why a film is delayed. In the past, there have been instances of films with bigger actors not releasing at all, and I would wonder why. In my case, Kaalakaandi was a low budget experiment and they had to find the right release date. There was also a discussion about releasing it directly on Netflix. Even for Baazaar, they were looking for the perfect time to showcase it. If someone says that my last few films haven't done well and hence the next can't be released, I would feel bad, but that was never the case.

But that was the word in the trade circuit. It was only after the success of Sacred Games, that makers decided to come out with the film.
I wish the situation was different and my films had worked, but what can I do about it? I would be more than satisfied if some of my recent releases would've done well [laughs]. But, by nature, I am happy and content. Over the years, I've become a better actor because I've realised that my energy and confidence does not depend on a Friday verdict. I know my job and over time have understood it better. I believe, that there is certain amount of karma in my profession. If you are good at your work, looking great and performing well, at some point of time, everything has to work out.

Did you ever lose confidence when your films weren't doing well at the box office?
Not when it comes to doing my job. I've been around in the industry for many years and it has never been a smooth sail. I've had my share of ups and downs and I am generally a confident person. The kind of experiences I've had in my life, the education and awareness I received through reading has always given me the confidence to talk to anyone. At the same time, I am not ashamed to admit that I am often clueless. My mother [Sharmila Tagore] tells me that my father [Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi] was the most confident man she had ever met. I'd like to believe that I've inherited that quality. I have always been a late bloomer. So, I am hopeful that things will eventually fall in place. I want to look like Anil Kapoor and work as long as Amitabh Bachchan and just keep getting better [smiles].

So what really changed with Sacred Games?
It has given me a sense of validation. We were talking about confidence and it also comes from working with like-minded people, understanding the craft and not getting stuck in the past [successes of Dil Chahta Hai and Omkara]. It constantly changes and now, I am the guy from Sacred Games. I feel on top of my game. The other day I was telling my manager that I am reading books on acting, approaching the craft differently and trying a lot of new things — people have reacted positively towards it. Many people take courses to improve their skills, but as an actor, it was something new for me. I was studying and applying my techniques. There are so many actors in that set up and they are really good at their job. Working with them has improved my acting chops.

With the on-going #MeToo movement, reports suggest that the second season of Sacred Games may not happen.
Personally, I don't think there should be any issue because Netflix takes these kinds of situations seriously. They will find the right way forward. House Of Cards still got made with changes to the cast. So, I am hoping we will too by taking the necessary step.

At the same time, you have four films [Hunter, Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior, Go Goa Gone sequel and Jawani Janeman] in various stages of filmmaking. Do you feel secure now?
I don't know about feeling secure, but I am working with some top class directors. Anurag Basu and Sriram Raghavan have both offered me films. So, if my last few releases haven't worked, then why are they approaching me with work? These directors give me a lot of confidence because they don't judge based a few setbacks. Fortunately or unfortunately, I don't like to live in a paranoid universe. If not films there will be something else to do. I could even be managing a hotel in Pataudi. I am not scared of the future.

And how do you not fret about the future?
You must have the ability to appreciate things and that is something I learnt from a friend. He always tells me to celebrate life. I guess the most basic thing is to celebrate a weekend. My whole life is on my phone with the collection of photos that I have. There are times when I see my photographs with Taimur, or some candid shots of having a drink and chatting with my friends. Then, I also see my look as a Naga Sadhu [Saif's character in Hunter] and I feel that somewhere I have done a good job. Touchwood, I am satiated because I have never praised myself and I am happy to put myself down and learn again.

Back to production
Saif Ali Khan dissolved his old production house, Illuminati Films, with Dinesh Vijan (their last association was Happy Ending in 2014) and went back into production with his new company, Black Knight Films. He says, "The thought process is that someone should look after me. We are planning to create a business model that will look after my career, be it a big or small budget film that can take care of my career rather than to expect calls from Yash Raj Films or Dharma Productions. I have made films in the past, so why not just carry on with it? I don't want other people to look out for me."

Meena Iyer (DNA; October 21, 2018)

Bollywood superstar couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan haven’t been seen together in a film after Agent Vinod (2012). The formidable duo has previously shared screen space in a slate of movies such as LOC Kargil (2003), Omkara (2006), Tashan (2008) and Kurbaan (2009). But ever since they tied the knot six years ago, they haven’t teamed up for a project. When we meet the Nawab of Pataudi and pose him this question, he says it has been a conscious decision on his part. He elaborates, “I’ve been saying no to working with Bebo in recent years because I’ve always ensured that there’s a clear demarcation between my personal and professional life. Now, however, the lines are blurring. With my father (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi) not being around and me being the defacto head of the family, my outlook has changed.”

Pausing for a few seconds, Saif adds, “Bebo and I will work together in the near future, provided the script does justice to both of us. I’m a good enough actor and I’m improving. So, I might be able to actually perform something interesting with her.”

The actor-producer states further that whenever he acts with his wife, he tends to become complacent. Smiling sheepishly he admits, “When I am with Kareena on screen, I end up not performing. I become deferential and slightly boring in the frame. I don’t compete and give enough energy. I kind of play myself, which is bad. If you know the person too well, there’s a tendency to slip into a certain comfort zone. And comfort is the enemy of cinema. Tension is what you want.”

While promoting Sacred Games, Saif Ali Khan starts off as first Indian on popular UK show
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 15, 2018)

Yesterday, Saif Ali Khan appeared on UK's popular morning show, ITV's Lorraine, to promote his Netflix original series, Sacred Games. Being the first Indian actor to make it to the show, Khan joined the likes of Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Kelly Clarkson and Gerard Butler, among others.

A source close to Saif Ali Khan says, "Besides being the first Indian to appear on Lorraine, Saif also became the first actor from the country to promote a web series out of India. A promotional event was organised at the prestigious Claridge's Hotel in London, which is usually the venue for Hollywood film promotions." When contacted, the actor says being on the set of Lorraine was amazing.

"Lorraine Kelly [the show's host] is charming. She gave so much attention to detail on the show. She also knew a lot about my family. She asked me about Taimur, how Kareena [Kapoor Khan] and I take time out for him and the biopic on my dad [Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi]. After finishing the shoot, I spent the day giving interviews to The Guardian and BBC." The next leg of Sacred Games promotions will be held in Dubai and Mumbai by the end of this month.

Itishree Misra (BOMBAY TIMES; May 20, 2018)

Sharmila Tagore was at her candid best, at a recent event in Lucknow. Although the event was titled Motherhood and work-life balance, the Chupke Chupke, Amar Prem, Mausam and Aradhana actress spoke on a variety of subjects, including the positive changes in Bollywood since when she was an active part of the industry, her marriage to Tiger Pataudi and her grandson Taimur.

PEOPLE SHOULD LAY OFF TAIMUR
The doting and protective grandmother in Sharmila came to the fore when one among the audience gushed about her grandson, one-and-a-half-year old Taimur Ali Khan, and how everyone found him to be one of the cutest kids. Flashing her dimpled smile, Sharmila said, “He’s very sweet. He’s talking now, but not in sentences, yet. He does say ‘Abba’ and ‘Amma’ sometimes, but not that clearly. It’s more of mumbling right now. Taimur is like any other child playing his usual things. He likes his car and his toys and he likes books.”

But the veteran actress also made it clear, in the same breath, how she disapproved of the attention showered over the kid by people and on social media. “I don’t approve of this social media attention and what they (people) are doing to Taimur. People are really stalking him! They are in front of his school, the play school that he goes too, following him when he’s going with his parents and it’s not really a good thing. Because, at the moment he’s young, but he’s still understanding cameras and stuff. So one can’t really not go out, to avoid this attention. There should be some kind of request to the people to lay off Taimur. Or maybe another baby will arrive someday and they will get bored of this one,” she said.

She admits that people advised her not to marry at the peak of her career. “People said that you’re at the peak of your career and marriage may affect it. But I feel there is a timing in everybody’s life. Yes, I had to give up a lot of films. But I didn’t fall off the ladder, so to speak because Aradhana was released after I was married and it became a runaway hit. Amar Prem, Mausam, all these films released after I got married and had Saif,” she said.

About her much-talked about romance and marriage to former Indian skipper Tiger Pataudi, Sharmila said, “Ours was a love marriage. We dated for a few years and it didn’t change our opinion of each other. Nobody gave us beyond one or two years but we carried on for much longer than expected by others,” she said with a smile.

About how the industry has changed over the years, Sharmila said, “The sets are now more comfortable. In our times, the toilets on the sets used to be terrible. Now there have been many improvements, actors have huge vans with separate washrooms. The audience’s acceptance of actors has also increased. Like Saif played a villain in Omkara and he was a hero in Love Aaj Kal. So, he was accepted in both roles. Even Priyanka Chopra played a vamp in one of the movies and people still love her as a heroine in others. But in our time, we couldn’t do that.”