It’s been an eventful weekend for Saif Ali Khan. No sooner had Kaalakandi’s teaser released last week, than the news came in that he’ll be headlining Netflix’s first Indian original series Sacred Games. Two different projects and platforms tackling Mumbai’s famed underbelly, with Saif playing very distinctive characters. The actor has had some tough luck at the box office in the past couple of years, but his current professional choices look to redeem his image as an actor who balances mainstream and indie roles with Nawabi panache.
Then on Sunday was broadcast the 18th edition of IIFA from New York (actually New Jersey) that was jointly hosted by Karan Johar and Saif. For all the glitzy television spectacle that it was, the hosts were widely panned in the media for unexceptional humour, particularly the tone-deaf treatment of the Kangana-nepotism debate.
Widely regarded as someone who is reasonable and liberal in thoughts and views, Saif being a part of this insular gag, seemed out of touch with his personality. The kind of work he’s doing this year is testimony to the professional and personal introspection that he’s done.
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In a free-wheeling exclusive conversation, Saif, true to his forthright nature, fields every question thrown his way.
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