Saif Ali Khan says he 'looks upto Shah Rukh Khan in many ways', reveals how he got him onboard for Kartavya

In Kartavya, Saif Ali Khan plays a police officer entangled in corruption and personal crises. The movie releases on May 15 on Netflix.

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is set to make a return to screens with the upcoming crime drama Kartavya. On Wednesday, Netflix unveiled the gripping trailer of the film, offering a glimpse into a tense and morally layered world led by powerful performances from Rasika Dugal, Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari, and Saurabh Dwivedi. During an interaction with the media, the actor also opened up about his long-standing professional relationship with superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The project is backed by Gauri Khan and Shah Rukh Khan’s banner Red Chillies Entertainment.

Saif Ali Khan and Shah Rukh Khan worked together on Kal Ho Naa Ho.

Saif Ali Khan on his equation with SRK

Speaking about the collaboration, Saif expressed his deep admiration for Shah Rukh, noting that he has looked up to him for many years. For Kartavya, the superstar reached out to Saif, mentioning a compelling script he believed would be a perfect fit. “I’ve had a lovely and long association with Shah Rukh. He’s someone I look up to in many, many ways. I had a short meeting with him. He said that there’s a lovely script and he would like me to hear it and do the film. I went through the process of listening to it and meeting the director (Pulkit). Once we finished the shoot and Shah Rukh watched it, he said it’s a lovely film. He’s very happy with it,” the actor said.

Saif revealed that Shah Rukh intentionally maintained a distance from the set to ensure the director had complete creative control. “That was pretty much the limit of my interaction with him. I didn’t meet him on set because he’s one of the producers who believe that a director is free to operate and make the film that he wants to make,” the actor added.

Kartavya's story

In Kartavya, Saif portrays Pawan, a police officer whose career is thrown into turmoil after a journalist is shot under his protection. Facing immense pressure from his superiors and public scrutiny, Pawan embarks on a high-stakes manhunt for the shooter. However, the case is more than a professional challenge. As Pawan digs deeper into a network of corruption and influence, his personal life begins to crumble. A family dispute involving his brother leads to direct threats against his loved ones, forcing him to make impossible choices.

Release date and cast

The film boasts an impressive ensemble, including Rasika Dugal, Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, and Manish Chaudhari. With a screenplay and direction by Pulkit, Kartavya is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix on May 15, 2026.

What’s next for Saif Ali Khan?

Beyond his digital ventures, Saif is also returning to the big screen for a highly anticipated collaboration. He is set to star in Haiwaan, a new film directed by Priyadarshan. This project will see him sharing the screen with Akshay Kumar.