Actor Saif Ali Khan is all excited for his next, directed by Priyadarshan and co-starring Akshay Kumar, Haiwaan, where he plays a visually impaired musician and martial arts coach. The actor says interestingly both his director and his father the legendary Tiger Pataudi, are both cricketers who lost one eye but it did not deter them from making their mark in their respective fields.
Saif says, "Priyadarshan is like Clint Eastwood, senior and calm. He reminds me of my dad. Both cricketers and both lost an eye but great in their professional space. Priyadarshan gives you just one take so you have to make quick decisions as an actor and he wraps up shoot in time every single day."
This is also his seventh film with Akshay, ask him what makes them a great team and he says, "Akshay playing the villain elevated the project. It's the first time I'm playing a strong author backed role in a film with him. He played my elder brother in our first movie together Yeh Dillagi and that set the tone for our relationship. We were new, weren't encroaching on each other and became good friends. I remember we had a 40 day shoot in Shimla and his Nepalese spot boy would sing Khiladi songs at 6am outside my room. I wanted to throw things at him because I just wanted to sleep." The actor goes on to say that both Akshay and Priyadarshan believe Haiwaan is Saif's best work, “There is an interesting backstory to the character, his mother wanted him to learn music so he wouldn't get bored and his father made him learn martial arts because he would fall down a lot as a child.” He adds, “I too believe this is my best in a long time and cant wait for the audience to see it.”
While Saif isn't on social media, memes often refer to him as Gen Z before Gen Z was a thing. Be it clips of his old interviews or his humourous acts. A clip where Netizens thought he is seeking his own blessings went viral. The actor says with a laugh, "It was a huge poster of myself so I was just wishing the film and me good luck. I am childlike and a little mad. I've been in the profession for 35 years so I was a very different person at 21-22 years old, when I made statements that are going viral now."
{{/usCountry}}While Saif isn't on social media, memes often refer to him as Gen Z before Gen Z was a thing. Be it clips of his old interviews or his humourous acts. A clip where Netizens thought he is seeking his own blessings went viral. The actor says with a laugh, "It was a huge poster of myself so I was just wishing the film and me good luck. I am childlike and a little mad. I've been in the profession for 35 years so I was a very different person at 21-22 years old, when I made statements that are going viral now."
{{/usCountry}}The actor goes on to say he has been trying to be present in every moment and live life completely. Ask him if this realisation happened after the 2025 home invasion and stabbing incident and he says, "That could be true but it also comes with age." Back then there was buzz that he has hired high profile security, but the actor continues to be his carefree self. Saif says, “I'm very lucky, that incident was quite close. The truth is I don't even like to share the car with my spotboy, I like sitting alone. I'm from the 90s' where we would sit alone doing nothing in between shots. There are a lot of people on sets these days and sometimes you just need it to be quiet. Things get crowded very quickly in Mumbai.” He adds, "I've never liked security but sometimes its necessary."
The actor just turned a year older on August 16. Speaking about the celebrations he says he rang in the special occasion in England. Saif recalls, "We celebrated at a close friend's house, where we cooked an Indian meal and had a glass of wine. The kids were playing around and it was a lovely time."
Speaking of kids the internet can't get enough of Taimur, the mini Saif- the elder quieter one and Jeh, mini Kareena- the excited, expressive one. The actor says, "All the four kids have very different personalities. Ofcourse Sara and Ibrahim are older and then there are these two. Tamiur seems quiet but not necessarily is that. I'm aware the internet is full of jokes about Jeh, the firecracker younger brother. We are just very blessed to have all this."