The Nawab introspects

Saif Ali Khan is no stranger to experimentation. As he muses over mortality in his next, Kaalakaandi, he lets us take a glimpse into his private life and journey so far...

Saif Ali Khan is a man on a mission. After having a not-so-great year, Saif is now awaiting the release of his black comedy Kaalakaandi that deals with life and death. In a freewheeling chat, Saif talks about his movie, drugs, kids and more. Excerpts: 

Life, death and karma: 

“When a person is about to die, what are the thoughts that go through one’s mind? I’ve never thought about those things. One might feel like they’d not live to see the sun rise the next day, at times. But then they go on and live for thirty more years. We sometimes wish to accumulate bank balance for our future but later in life you realise you haven’t enjoyed life to the fullest. 

But then the energy levels function in a different manner for every person. We all compete to be different from one another. 

At this juncture in my life, I agree with the fact that human beings need to strike a balance in their own lives. We need to control it better.”

Drugs and the youth today:

“It’s really a matter of concern, but I don’t know how to rid society of this problem. I feel that parents and teachers are responsible for inculcating ethical values within the youth. Their energies should be channelled into sports to get them away from drugs. 

I tried acid (LSD) when I was about 25. I wasn’t even able to make the trip from my room to another one to go to the bathroom. I feared the darkness. I had a terrible feeling of being scared.”

Smoke-free: 

“I was a terrible chain smoker. But I quit even before Kareena came into my life. The credit goes to my doctor, and not her. He advised me to stop smoking as it was killing me. He told me, ‘If you wish to lead a happy and a healthy life, you need to stop smoking.”

Growing up, with his kids:

“These days children don’t listen much to parents. We also need to trust them after imparting the dos and don’ts of life. Ibrahim goes around with his friends, who are kids of industry veterans. When it comes to the movies, we’re all like a family. Ibrahim, along with his friends, also go to Salman Khan’s farmhouse during holidays. We’re confident and we trust him. 

Meanwhile, Taimur really enjoyed his holidays with us. It was like going far away from all the distraction. All of us had a great time together, but needless to say, we’re back to working now!”

Naughty is as naughty does: 

“I was sent to a boarding school in London. At the age of 17, we decided to attend a party outside school premises and decided to sneak out through the windows. We were caught, suspended and sent back home. My parents were very unhappy. My dad even belted me, and mom would slap me. But I would duck her beatings. She would hold my hair and hit me hard!

One time I tried to sneak out of the window. When I returned home, there was someone sleeping in my bed. It was my mom, trying to catch me red handed! I was beaten again. So mom, in this way, has been very strict and tried to keep me in check. Now if I ask her, what if Taimur does all that I did? And she replies saying, ‘Nahi woh aisa nahi karega!’ (He won’t do that)”

Making it big in the industry: 

“I never had an inclination towards acting. To tell you the truth, I was not good with studies and didn’t enjoy it. It was then that the idea of travelling to Mumbai, renting a flat and struggling to make it big came to my mind. I joined an acting school immediately. 

Back then, actors had no inclination for going to the gym and keeping fit. We had just decided we will survive in the industry till the age of 40 and then retire. 

But we’ve survived more now. We also helped each other by letting everyone else know about the work happening in any production house. If we weren’t taken for a film, we’d send each other to audition and open up new vistas.

Pataudi sahab (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif’s father and ace cricketer) never pressurised me on either playing or pursuing cricket as a profession. I played cricket for fun as a kid.”