Sara Ali Khan reacts to dad Saif Ali Khan’s ‘not an absentee father’ comment: ‘He was always there without even living with us’
Actor Sara Ali Khan has spoken about her relationship with father Saif Ali Khan while growing up, and how her mother raised her.
Right from the start, she has been quite an open book – vis-à-vis her professional as well as personal sphere. In fact, since her debut film itself, Sara Ali Khan has spoken about how she is proud to have been “raised by a single mother (Amrita Singh)” and that she “loves her so much.” But clearly, the young actor has an extremely strong bond with her father, Saif Ali Khan as well (remember her much-talked-about outing with him on Koffee With Karan?)
A few days back, Saif spoke – in an interview -- about not being an “absentee father.” He said: “I may not have been responsible at various times while in my 20s, but I’ve always been there and ready to do the best that I can do at that time for my kids (Sara and her younger brother, Ibrahim). I have never felt like an absentee father.”
Ask Sara about Saif’s statement and she says: “I know my father very well. Dad is like me, so he says what he is thinking at that particular point. He never really says things for any ulterior motive.” At the same time, the Kedarnath actor wastes no time in calling him a “great father.” “I love mother a lot. I think when you have a lot of time to show a feeling or emotion, it’s easier. Mum is a single mother and I am everything because of her but she has every day to show how much she loves me. I don’t live with my father so, I haven’t felt that [emotion from his side],” she says.
Sara further adds: “The only thing that I know about dad is that he has always been a great father. He has always been there without even living with us. So, I think he deserves a special hug and love from me for never making me feel that he doesn’t live with me because he was, and is always just a phone call away. And that’s really comforting.”
Also read: Saif Ali Khan admits he may have been irresponsible in his 20s, but was never an absentee father
Work-wise, after Love Aaj Kal, Sara is busy with the modern-day adaptation of Coolie No. 1 [with Varun Dhawan] and Aanand L Rai’s Atrangi Re [co-starring Akshay Kumar and Dhanush]. “I feel extremely lucky that after doing a romantic film with Imtiaz [Ali] sir, now, I will team up with Aanand-ji [Rai; filmmaker]. I am a huge fan of the way he depicts women in his films. And then, I have an out-and-out commercial entertainer with Varun [Dhawan] and David sir [Dhawan; director]. I am truly privileged,” he says.
Sara has been in the news about her love life as well. Interestingly, she was linked with her Kedarnath and Love Aaj Kal [LAK] co-stars, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kartik Aaryan respectively. Ask her if such chemistry ever spills from reel to real life, and she says: “I don’t think it ever does. I’m not a skilled actor and don’t have much experience, so when I’m on set, the only thing I have is conviction and honesty vis-à-vis my character. So, there’s no scope for Sara to come into my work or vice versa. When I step out of my van, I am a different person, and I’m proud of that,” she says.
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