Saif Ali Khan recalls being told he did not have the 'gravitas and strength' to play a cop: 'It'll look like comedy'

Saif Ali Khan in Kartavya (Pic/Instagram)

Saif Ali Khan's iconic role as Inspector Sartaj Singh in Sacred Games still remains one of the classic cop portrayals that is fresh in many of our minds. What made it even more special was the fact that the actor, who is known for his charming persona and romantic hero image, was stepping into a cop role for the first time. And now, Saif will once again be seen in uniform in his upcoming film Kartavya, in which the actor looks equally promising. Interestingly, Saif recently revealed that he was advised against playing a cop ever in his career.

Saif Ali Khan recalls being told not to play a cop

During a recent media interaction at the trailer launch of Kartavya, Saif Ali Khan recalled a funny incident from the time he donned the prestigious uniform for the first time. "I tell you, the first time I wore a uniform was in Main Khiladi Tu Anari, in the climax. Akshay Bhai (Akshay Kumar) is the main tough cop, and I'm this kind of guy," Saif shared. For the unversed, in the climax scene, Saif played an actor portraying the role of a cop on the big screen.

"My director told me at the time, he said, 'Don't play a cop ever seriously in your life. Because you can't do it. You don't have the gravitas or the power or the strength to do it. It'll look like a comedy; never do it. You're a romantic hero,'" he recalled, sharing the funny incident.

He further added, "So it's amazing that if you keep working and keep practising and keep learning and growing, maybe you'll grow into something. And Sacred Games was a wonderful learning experience with some beautiful directors."

Saif Ali Khan expresses his admiration for real-life cops

He further opened up about the feeling of wearing the police uniform, saying, "And again, you're playing the person, not really playing a cop. But when you put on that uniform, there is a sense of pride and responsibility and kind of power that one gets for sure. And to be able to carry it is a big thing for me because of the beginning I had; it was not always like that. It's a really nice feeling."

Further calling himself an 'admirer' of real-life police personnel, Saif Ali Khan shares, "And it's a great feeling to be able to do it because I'm a huge admirer of the police in general. I think what they do is amazing. So it's great to have the chance to try and play something like this."