Saif Ali Khan Was Not Allowed to Watch Mohanlal’s ‘Oppam,’ Reveals ‘Haiwaan’ Director Priyadarshan

Priyadarshan’s “Haiwaan,” an adaptation of his 2016 Malayalam film “Oppam,” releases on September 11. The film has Saif Ali Khan as Shyam, a character Mohanlal played in “Oppam.” The filmmaker says it was important that Khan approach the role without being influenced by Mohanlal’s performance.

Priyadarshan ensured the “Sacred Games” actor did not watch the Malayalam film. He added that Khan brought his own body language, dialogue delivery and mannerisms to the character, making the performance distinct from Mohanlal’s. “Saif has no idea what Mohanlal has done. I did not allow it. Also, everyone has their own body language, dialogue delivery and movements. It cannot be imitated. When I work with Mohanlal, I tell him to move a certain way. I don’t follow the same with Saif. His dialogue delivery, body language and hand and head gestures are completely different,” Priyadarshan says.

Video: Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar on KBC

Not playing it safe: Saif Ali Khan

It’s been three decades of Saif Ali Khan — from the charming young star of the ’90s to one of Hindi cinema’s most instinctive and versatile actors. This year, the actor has much to celebrate — Dil Chahta Hai turns 25, Omkara completes 20, and Saif reunites with Akshay Kumar after more than two decades in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan, which releases on September 11. At 56, there’s plenty to look back on — and Saif has plenty to say. Our guest on the JBL Live Headphones presents Bombay Times Lounge brings his trademark wit, candour and perspective to a conversation spanning films, fame, family and everything in between. Excerpts from the conversation.

Saif, you arrived as a star over three decades ago. At what point in your journey did you feel that you’re becoming the kind of actor that you want to be and that you belong here?

I think I’ve always felt very comfortable here and felt that these are my people. I had a very academic kind of exposure when I was young. My parents sent me to a brilliant school, and they had a very academic career in mind for me. But I felt a little bit strangled by the idea of sitting behind the desk for so long, even though now I love it and I love reading, and I’m trying to reconnect. But deep down, I also realised I belong to a world like this and feel at home here. I don’t know exactly when I started enjoying it so much. I used to hear international actors talk about things like craft, technique and form and I had no idea about it. So, I read a few books, and they spoke to me.

I understood what they were saying, and I tried to apply some of it. And some of it worked out quite well. This is such a remarkable profession; the learning is endless. Every now and then, you break a little door open and enter a room. And you’re like, wow, this is possible.

Video: Saif Ali Khan Opens Up About ‘Haiwaan’, Surviving Home Intruder Stabbing

Haiwaan starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar – 3 days to go

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Video: Saif Ali Khan × Haiwaan × JK Poha | Full-On Breakfast

Saif Ali Khan named brand ambassador for Magnum by Safari

Luggage marketing in India rarely gets a Bollywood makeover, but Magnum by Safari has just given it one. The brand, part of Safari Industries India Limited, has named Saif Ali Khan as its brand ambassador, pairing the actor’s famously understated cool with a proposition the company calls Swag On The Move. It is a neat match on paper: a star known for effortless sophistication fronting a brand trying to sell the idea that affordable luggage can carry personal style too.

The pitch is deliberately mass-market. Magnum by Safari’s trolley bags start at just ₹1,400, and the brand sells exclusively through Flipkart, positioning itself squarely at value-conscious Indian travellers rather than premium shoppers. Roping in a star of Khan’s stature to sell sub-₹1,500 luggage is an interesting bet, essentially using aspirational star power to elevate a category that usually competes on price and durability rather than personality.