Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan toured the Capital on Thursday for promotion of his new release ‘Vikram Veda’. In the film, which hit the big screen on Friday, Khan plays the title role.
While fans gave a huge applause on the internet to the film and the 52-year-old actor’s stellar performance, we spoke to Khan about his film and his approach towards his character.
Khan is a recipient of seven Filmfare awards and 12 nominations for best performances in many films throughout his career, so far.
What kind of role are you playing in ‘Vikram Veda’?
I’m acting as a tough cop who is an encounter specialist. As you see in the poster, I am holding a gun and have a dangerous appearance.
You have performed a variety of roles, but how different is this one? Any special training?
Yes, it’s true that I have been working and acting in different kinds of roles but this is entirely new. I tried very hard to reach a certain level and spent much time getting the action right. I have done tremendous research on this subject to understand my role as an encounter expert. Besides this, I had to practice with real weapons and learn the use of drills. It was not easy.
Do you think your director couple, Pushkar and Gayatri, are satisfied with your performance?
I think both of them are very happy and appreciated my deep research on this particular subject. Playing this particular character needs to be practiced well. You can see this effect in my body language.
Who else is in the cast’?
Hrithik Roshan, along with Radhika Apte, is working with me in this film. Hrithik Roshan plays the romantic lead and he is such a good actor.
You said somewhere that you do not agree with the principles espoused by Vikram. What was that all about?
It’s true that I do not fully agree with his line of thinking. I am only playing the character.
What do awards mean to you?
They always lead to a celebration. However, I feel better when I see that my film gets big openings with a fully packed theatre and the fans love me. I am looking forward to seeing more audiences come to cinemas now that the pandemic is over.
What’s the moral of this story’?
I can only say that it’s a good film with an interesting story. Stories are a really important part of our lives. I recall when I was a little boy and my parents would be on the balcony talking with adults, an old man used to tell me about tigers. Such stories still attract me as an actor.
Do you believe in God?
Yes, I believe in God and also believe in luck.
Do you think film promotion is important as an actor?
Yes! Today, promotion is such an important part of the process for the producer and also an actor like me. I get a chance to tell my audience and my fans to watch my film. As you know, now there are estimated 450 million mobile users and 50 million internet users in India. Therefore, I would like to reach out to everyone. Interestingly, social media is a big platform to reach my audience.
You seem to like working with director Ramesh Turani.
Yes, I like Ramesh Turani because I got due credit from him in Race 2. My audience loved my role and appreciated my performance. Till now, I will never forget this.
How do you choose films?
As an actor, I always choose the best from offers given by my film directors. As an actor, you know, sometimes priorities keep changing when one gets success.
Is your son Ibrahim getting involved in films?
Yes, Ibrahim is working with Karan Johar, assisting him in the upcoming film ‘Rocky Aur Rani’. Besides this, he is learning basic camera techniques.
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