Sriram Raghavan reveals Saif Ali Khan wanted Vijay Sethupathi’s part in Merry Christmas: ‘He was a little upset’

Sriram Raghavan revealed that he wanted a fresh pair for Merry Christmas, and had to say no to Saif Ali Khan for Vijay Sethupathi’s role opposite Katrina Kaif.

The unusual pairing of Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in Merry Christmas has been the talk of the town. In a new interview with Pinkvilla, director Sriram Raghavan revealed that there was another actor who had shown interest in the part before Vijay came on board. That actor was Saif Ali Khan, with whom Sriram has worked earlier in Ek Hasina Thi (2004) and Agent Vinod (2012).

Sriram said, “I wanted a very unique kind of a pairing because that’s the story’s requirement. One should not get any baggage from either of them. So I had met another actor who had liked the role also, but then I told him sorry.”

Magazine Scan: Bollywood to rock the south – Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan In Bollywood: When The Year 1993 Proved Crucial For The Chhote Nawab

Saif Ali Khan is considered as one of the most talented actors of Bollywood. He last appeared in the Bollywood film Jawaani Jaaneman, which was liked by fans and critics alike. The actor made his acting debut in the year 1993. Here is a look at the films that he featured in, in his debut year.

Saif Ali Khan films in his debut year

1. Parampara

Parampara is a drama film released in the year 1993. The film revolved around two families who have been at conflict for the longest time. The film was directed by Yash Chopra and was written jointly by Aditya Chopra and Honey Irani. Parampara featured Saif Ali Khan essaying the role of Pratap P. Singh. It also starred actors like Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Aamir Khan, and Raveena Tandon, amongst others.

2. Pehchaan

This film was a thriller drama based on a man who is accused of sexual molestation. It was directed by Deepak S. Shivdasani and written by Robin Bhatt. The film starred Saif Ali Khan in the role of Kunal Verma. It also starred actors like Suniel Shetty, Shilpa Shirodkar, Madhoo, and Kiran Kumar, amongst others.

3. Pehla Nasha

Pehla Nasha was a mystery film that revolved around the life of an actor who is claustrophobic. Pehla Nasha was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, who also contributed to the script of the film. The film starred Saif Ali Khan in a small role where he played himself. It starred actors like Deepak Tijori, Pooja Bhatt, and Raveena Tandon in key roles.

Read Saif Ali Khan Had Ups & Downs Over The Years In Bollywood; Read

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4. Aashik Aawara

Aashik Aawara was a drama film that revolved around a man who was raised by a thief. The film was directed by Umesh Mehra who had also contributed to the story of the film. Saif Ali Khan played the lead role in this film. He was seen in the shoes of Rakesh Rajpal. Aashik Aawara also starred actors like Mamta Kulkarni and Mohnish Bahl in important roles.

‘What if he is not interested?’- Saif Ali Khan expresses his concern over son Taimur Ali Khan entering Bollywood

Saif Ali Khan’s and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s adorable little munchkin Taimur Ali Khan is a star in his own right. The little kiddo can give any star a run-for-his-money with his popularity. In fact, the paparazzi have permanently stationed themselves outside his residence to catch a glimpse of the toddler as he goes about his daily life. Taimur’s popularity is such that there is a doll after him and recently Kareena joked about Taimur entering Bollywood and stated that his entry will send Khiladi Kumar’s popularity for a toss.

So, when Saif appeared on Arbaaz Khan’s chat show Pinch and came across a comment on Twitter about Taimur’s Bollywood debut he could not hold back his amusement but still gave an answer like a concerned father. He said, “Everyone I speak to, everybody around thinks that all the kids want to join films and they do. Most of our kids want to do that which is a good thing, a great thing but I don’t know why I am a little concerned about that. I feel there should be other choices…somebody might want to say I want to become a doctor or a lawyer kind of stuff. Maybe I am sounding very old-fashioned but anyway, I am not interested in making his debut in Bollywood and neither is he.”

No Hollywood for Saif Ali Khan

A while ago, there was a buzz that Saif Ali Khan had been approached to do a Hollywood film in which he would have an important role. This was immediately after the kind of reactions that he was getting in the media as well as on the social media about his performance as Sartaj Singh in Sacred Games, the season two of which will be on the web in a month from now.

“There were talks that he had been approached for the Hollywood film and that they (the studio) wanted him to essay an important part,” says a source. But Saif’s team denies that the actor has signed on the dotted line as yet. “It is not true that he has signed anything,” says Team Saif.

Sources still insist that the said studio is trying hard to convince Saif to do the film with better offers. But Saif seems to have his hands full at the moment and has still not given the green signal. Apart from Sacred Games 2, Saif is working on films like Jawaani Jaaneman, Bhoot Police, Taanaji, among other projects. Not long ago, Saif had himself said that he would not like to uproot himself from Bollywood to work in Hollywood.

Video: Saif Ali Khan lost out on a film role

Visit Britain – Saif Ali Khan – London a hot shooting destination for Bollywood

Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, the top actors of Bollywood, have openly spoken of their love for United Kingdom. It is not just for the beautiful locales but also for the amicable environment that makes such places like London, Wales, and Oxfordshire common sights seen in movie backdrops.

Popular destinations such as the Thames, Big Ben, London Eye and other landmarks locations can often be spotted in some of the hit Indian films. After Switzerland, which was the top destination for Indian filmmakers previously, the shift has drifted to London.

Katrina Kaif, a London-bred Indian actress, and Akshay Kumar prominently shot in London for the hit film Namaste London. Shah Rukh Khan has had a major love affair with UK as he has started off with the evergreen Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in 1995, shot extensively in popular attractions including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, Leicester Square and Buckingham Palace. He had also shot for films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham along with Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan. His hit film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was shot in exotic locations of Scotland. Late filmmaker Yash Chopra shot his last film in Jab Tak Hai Jaan in London. In fact, the hit number saans, was painstakingly shot in the busy Camden Town. His upcoming film Fan will be the first Bollywood film to be shot in London.