“You don’t look like an interesting actress”

In fact Saif Ali KhanFinding her footing as an actress was a gradual process. His breakthrough as a charming urban man in Hindi cinema was with Dil Chahta Hai directed by Farhan Akhtar. But a few years later, another landmark project revealed a much more vibrant side to his acting, which he would later explore again in titles like Laal Kaptaan, Sacred Games and his latest Netflix film, ‘Kartavya’.Reflecting on his journey, Saif says, “When you look at your career, not everything stands out. There are some highlights, and that’s enough. Omkara is definitely something I’m proud of. Sacred Games even more so, in a way. I don’t think there’s a connection between the two, but both stood out when you look back at some brilliant pieces of work.”Interestingly, Saif credits his mother, a veteran actress Sharmila Tagorefor encouraging him to explore deeper and more meaningful roles. Recalling his advice, she shares, “He once told me that you don’t think you’re a very interesting actor. You need to balance your options and think more creatively. Back then, I kind of took things for granted.”Although he cannot clearly place the moment in time, whether it was the 1990s or the early 2000s, Saif remembers the conversation vividly. Once he excitedly mentioned shooting a film in France, only my mother replied: “When are you going to tell me that you are playing an interesting role?” Looking back, Saif said, “He saw more potential. So he was pushing me towards awakening.”The actor also believes that the rise of streaming platforms in India has opened up new creative opportunities. As such, it gave him the opportunity to collaborate with filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwaneand Pulkitcollaborations that did not happen within the traditional theater system. Pulkit, who directs Kartavya, recently spoke about how the streaming project felt liberating after the pressure surrounding his Rajkummar Rao-starrer Maalik.Saif, however, sees it differently. “I don’t know if it should be seen as a relief,” he says. “There’s always been all kinds of filmmakers. There are some commercial ones who have their eyes on the Friday issue, which means it takes some kind of energy, whatever it is, I don’t know. But then there are filmmakers who have a more artistic scope, who didn’t have the opportunity to release their films in the same way.“According to him, streaming platforms have emerged as “an important and alternative form of expression” for storytellers seeking creative freedom. “There are some movies that I would love to work on that people wouldn’t get a chance to see in theaters. But I think Netflix and other streaming platforms also want to entertain, so it’s competitive at the end,” he added.