Saif Ali Khan On His Not-So-Safe 30 Years In Cinema

With a unique career trajectory where he as relevant to the Gen Z as he is to the millennials and the boomers, Saif Ali Khan turns 30 in the film industry, and goes down the memory lane, listing 10 of his favourite characters

- Ananya Ghosh

My first memories of Saif Ali Khan are as a pre-teen, watching him dance or make a sincere attempt at it) to songs like Aadhi Raat Ko Parampara, 1993), Main Hoon Aashiq Aawara Aashiq Awara, 1993), and of course, Ole Ole Ole Yeh Dillagi, 1994). As a young girl, absolutely adored this good-looking man with a cute smile and bouncy hair.

However, it seems the man himself is not too proud of this initial stint. My entire upbringing till then was that of almost like an Anglo-Indian, Winchester-educated boy, it was very far removed from Bollywood. Going to the gym and to dance classes didn’t seem important to me. just wanted a stable job. knew that was not cut out for an academic career. The idea of movies appealed to me. But it was when came to Mumbai, got into films, and started making an absolute mess that realised that need to commit to it. was chucked out for not being serious from my first movie Bekhudi, with Kajol),” recalls Saif Ali Knan as we sit down for a freewheeling chat. He will eventually call the natural setup of the interview just outside his vanity van parked inside Mehboob Studio) dangerous’. The moody actor can be that dramatic for the effect. The last time had met him for an interview, he was hell-bent on doing a cover shoot in his pyjamas, insisting that he is old and happy looking the part. He was then 48.

“Obviously talk a lot of rubbish, also depending on when you talk to me,” laughs the actor when mention this. Today, at 52, dressed in his jeans and T-shirt, Khan is looking every bit the rockstar he was while jamming with Parikrama at a pub in Kolkata in 2008.