Kareena Kapoor Khan hosts an intimate gathering for Saif Ali Khan's 50th
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 16, 2020)

In a pre-Coronavirus world, Saif Ali Khan's 50th birthday would have been celebrated with much fanfare. But given the situation, it will be a homely affair for the star. Hosting an intimate get-together with family and close friends, wife Kareena Kapoor Khan will be keeping it low-key. A source informs, "Besides Sara and Ibrahim, Saif will be joined by sister Soha, Kunal Kemmu and their daughter Inaaya. Kareena has curated an elaborate blowout with his favourite dishes."

Earlier in the week, the duo announced that they are expecting the arrival of their second baby next year. "Initially, they had an elaborate plan for Saif's 50th birthday, which included a grand celebration at the Pataudi Palace. Though a party is in order later, the family plans to cut through the grimness in the air with one too many cakes," added the source.

On the work front, the actor has two releases in the near future—Amazon Prime series Dilli, helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar which releases later this year and Bunty Aur Babli 2, for which the actor will resume shooting soon.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 16, 2019)

With his sleek hair cut and fitter-than-ever physique, the stylish and suave Saif Ali Khan is giving the younger heroes a complex. The Nawab of Pataudi turns 49 today, but forget looking his age, the Sacred Games star appears a decade younger! Even Tabu recently remarked that he is “looking so good with the haircut”. The AndhaDhun actress will share screen space with the Kaalakaandi actor in his next, Jawaani Jaaneman, which he is also producing. The two worked together in Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999) and will reunite on screen after exactly two decades. “I don’t remember how it was working with her earlier because it was a long time ago. But, it was really good working with her now. She is a fabulous actress. Though we didn’t have much to do (together), there were a couple of really important scenes that she had. Speaking as a producer, it’s wonderful to see a really good actor bringing the scene alive,” says Saif, proudly adding that they wrapped up the movie in 43 days, “two days under schedule”.

The film was shot entirely in London and after completing it last week, the actor has extended his stay to celebrate his birthday there. “We are staying in an ancient country home in Windsor, England’s countryside. I thought it was haunted, but now I don’t think it is. It’s very nice and there are about six of us here with kids — we are cooking and eating. I will celebrate by having dinner with friends,” he shares.

Best work on the web
Incidentally, the second season of Sacred Games, which has Saif playing a cop, Sartaj Singh, was streamed a day before his birthday. The first season gained global recognition and the actor had won rave reviews for his performance. When asked what the series has meant to him, he said, “It’s meant that there’s more than one platform available to do amazing work. In fact, some of the best work I have ever done is on that platform. Entertainment is changing, and the way we’re making this content is also different. We are more mobile, our show is top class, and is comparable to any international one. That’s a great thing and I’m happy about it. It has also shown that there’s a market for intelligent directors and writers in India at the moment, which doesn’t have to be mainstream Bollywood or commercial. Since this is a web show, it should be different and tailored to suit the audience. So, a little more graphic, somehow not just in terms of sex and violence, but in terms of images. A little more artistic. It should be something beyond films and TV,” he elaborates.

A good phase
Apart from Sacred Games, the 49-year-old actor is gung-ho about his upcoming films, Jawaani Jaaneman and Bhoot Police. “The kind of ideas that were swapped on the sets of Jawaani Jaaneman and what I am expecting in Bhoot Police is something quite new and exciting. It’s a little different from how things were. I’m certainly feeling that it’s a very good time, actually, it is the best time because I am better than I was,” he says.

Saif is known to completely transform himself for every role that he plays, be it his hairstyle or the physicality. He believes that as an actor he should change for every role and come up with something different. “Examples have been around since forever. Aamir (Khan) has been doing it for the longest time. You know, you’re looking for something that can become a bit of an item, a piece of film. So, you’re finding a certain kind of Punjabi trendy look that can be from London, a tattoo or some haircut to make it effective. I think that’s something the audience also appreciates. And it’s something that as an actor, I quite enjoy finding that difference in each part,” he says.

Dealing with failures...
Saif has had a checkered career, which boasts of big hits and flops. How does he deal with it? “Things work and not work for various reasons. You need to get so many of these decisions right. Sometimes, it could just be the wrong kind of film. Like, there are so many different ideas today, and a lot of intelligent guys that I come across want to make slightly European cinema, which, you know, is not really mainstream. Some are trying to redefine mainstream Bollywood, I mean, they don’t want to make a certain kind of movie, but something more sensible. It’s a little tricky, sometimes you go wrong, because, you know, it’s not the kind of film that everyone wants to see. You spend all your energy making the wrong kind of movie. So, that is disappointing. But I think the job in itself is in a way satisfying. If your directors are happy and you’re proud of the film you made, that’s satisfying enough. But when it doesn’t run, that’s where you have to be strong, pick it all up and go again.”

... And moving on
With Sacred Games proving that he had made the right choice by moving to the digital platform, Saif now wants to keep the tempo going with his big-screen outings, too. Both his upcoming films, Jawaani Jaaneman and Bhoot Police are comedies, but of a different kind. While the former is a family comedy, the latter is a horror-comedy. Saif shares that he wants to be more conscious of what the audience expects to see. “I have tried to do it this year more than before. I want to do slightly more commercial stuff. In the past, I’ve done certain films like Chef which were a little different to what the audience would have wanted. So, I have become just a little bit more aware of what kind of films people want. For instance, Jaawani Jaaneman is quite intelligent and artistic in many places. But basically, it’s a lot of good fun. Both, director Nitin Kakkar and I, had it in our minds that we are trying to entertain people here — the emphasis has been on that,” he concludes.

FAMILY FIRST: Apart from Saif’s elder son Ibrahim and daughter Sara Ali Khan, members of the Kapoor khandaan too joined the midnight birthday bash

BOMBAY TIMES (August 17, 2018)

Saif Ali Khan celebrated his 47th birthday yesterday with Kareena Kapoor Khan and other family members. Like most celeb parties, the actor also had a midnight birthday bash with Kareena, his sisterin-law and actress Karisma Kapoor, daughter Sara Ali Khan and elder son Ibrahim Ali Khan. Saif ’s sister Soha Ali Khan also joined the celebrations along with husband Kunal Kemmu, apart from other members of the Kapoor clan.

Karisma posted a picture from the party on her Instagram account wishing Saif on his birthday. The actress also uploaded a boomerang video wherein Kareena was seen giving a peck on Saif ’s cheeks. Sara, who is all set for her Bollywood debut, looked chic in her velvet outfit, while Karisma wore a black dress. While birthday boy Saif kept it simple in an all-white ensemble and a red bandana, Kareena was the show-stealer in a black sheer top and grey pants. Sara, who made her Instagram debut on Independence Day, shared a photo of the yummy-looking birthday cake, which was garnished with all sorts of chocolate candies.



Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor


Before the party, Saif was spotted with Taimur

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 13, 2018)

Manisha Koirala and Saif Ali Khan may have done only one film, Kachche Dhaage (1999), together in all these years, but they have one thing in common. The two actors share their birthday on August 16. Not only that, the duo was even born in the same year — 1970. Both will ring in their 48th birthday this month. We have learnt that Manisha has planned a small party for family and friends. After all, she has more than one reason to celebrate.

Manisha won rave reviews for her turn in the web series Lust Stories and was appreciated for her role as Nargis in Sanju, which has entered the Rs 300 crore club. Says a source, “Manisha has booked a room in a suburban hotel and invited a few of her close friends. It will be an intimate affair.” 

Saif, on the other hand, took a leap of faith this year and made his debut on the digital platform with Sacred Games. His conviction paid off and his cop act in the web series has got him a lot of critical acclaim. He will soon be seen as a naaga sadhu in the film Hunter, for which he has been growing his beard. He will also be doing the sequel to the hit zombie film Go Goa Gone. With so many things to look forward to, Saif, too, has several reasons to party.

A source says that his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan is planning a small get-together. Last year, too, the actress had hosted a bash at their residence, and it was attended by Sara Ali Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor.

SAVE THIS DATE
August 16 seems to be a red letter day in Tinseltown. Bollywood filmmaker David Dhawan celebrates his birthday on the same day and so does international singer-actress, Madonna.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 18, 2015)

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2014)

Kareena Kapoor will not be in Mumbai when her upcoming film Singham Returns hits the theatres on August 15. On the eve of Independence Day, the chhoti begum will fly off to London for a week long holiday with her nawab.

Confirming this, Kareena told Mirror, "Saif's (Ali Khan) birthday is on August 16. I have planned a party for him in London where he has a lot of friends." The actor will turn 44.

After returning from London, the couple will dash off to Italy in a couple of days. "Just in case Italy doesn't materialise, we plan to go to France," informs Kareena, adding with a smile, "Saif and I love spending quality time with each other. Bahut dinon se hum kahin bahar nahin gaye saath saath."

However, it won't be all play and no work. Kareena plans to take three scripts along from directors she hasn't worked with so far. "I hope to zero down on one of them before I return from the second holiday," she asserts.

Mr and Mrs Khan will return to the country by the end of September and immediately start working on their next projects. While Kareena will kick off Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the Salman Khan-starrer scheduled as the Eid release of 2015, Saif will begin shooting Reema Kagti's melancholy love story, co-starring Kangana Ranaut.

"I'd worked with Reema earlier in Talaash and Saif is wrapping up Phantom with Kabir," she points out, adding with a laugh, "It's a small world! We will have enough to discuss on the film front too."