Twenty five years and around 60 films later, Saif Ali Khan has got into an interesting phase of his career. Well, yet again! That has been the story of his life, especially since the turn of the millennium where he has gone through different phases in his career where a block of his films have either worked or not worked.
“Now he would be certainly hoping that his newest block of films reverses the trend that he has been facing of late when it comes to theatrical run of his films,” comments a trade expert and adds, “He has four distinct films lined up for release - Jawani Janeman, Hunter, Bhoot Police and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Moreover, he also has the second season of Sacred Games to go on air soon. This could be a game changer for him.”
Saif Ali Khan would indeed be thinking of that as well, considering the fact his last crop of films, Kaalakaandi, Chef and Rangoon, couldn’t do well at all the Box Office. There was some respite though, with Baazaar, which was a fair success and as for appreciation, there was loads of it with the first season of Sacred Games.
“While web series is something that has excited him, he is now also trying out different genres,” the expert continues.
Not that he hasn’t tried that earlier too. Kaalakaandi was a quirky comedy, Chef had him in a realistic space while Rangoon was a period drama. On the other hand, a few years before this he had a flurry of successes, which proved to be a good block of films. Race 2, though not as appreciated as the first part, was still a 100 crore success and had Saif Ali Khan get into a suave avatar. Cocktail, one of his much-loved films, had him at his flamboyant best while in Go Goa Gone he was a ‘desi’ vampire catcher with a Russian twang to him.
An insider says, “He had his fair share of ‘masala’ films right through the 90s but ever since the turn of the millennium, he has been trying out different things. Sometimes they work, sometimes they do not. It is just that the oscillation is time and again in blocks. Remember the time since the release of Kal Ho Na Ho? He delivered back to back successes with Hum Tum, Parineeta, Salaam Namaste and Omkara; each one of them belonging to a different stage and set up.”
This is what Saif is aspiring for all over again, now that he has his hands full with five different projects. The first in the pipeline, Jawani Janeman, has him playing a cool dad to Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaia Furniturewalla, Aanand L. Rai’s yet untitled film is a quirky affair set in 1780 which has Saif enact the part of a failed sadhu whereas Ragini MMS fame Pavan Kriplani’s Bhoot Police is set in a horror-comedy world while Ajay Devgn led Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior has him play the antagonist. As for Sacred Games Season 2, he would be returning as a Sikh cop.
“Well, one may accuse Saif of a lot of things but not for the lack of trying. Coming two years could well turn over a new chapter for him,” says a source close to Saif.
