Close on the heels of the passing of Kaalakaandi after a tryst with the Censor Board, Saif reflects on creative freedom in Bollywood
Saif Ali Khan
Parallels were drawn to Delhi Belly, specifically its excessive use of verbal profanity when Saif Ali Khan's Kaalakaandi arrived at the Censor Board for certification. With the makers refusing to oblige to an alleged request of 72 cuts, fearing it may deplete the quality of the film, the team eventually tapped on the doors of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). In an interview to mid-day, Khan talks about the passing of his film after it arrived at the FCAT, and reflects on his life after being in the industry for almost three decades."
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After facing issues with the Censor Board, Kaalakaandi is finally up for release.
Yes, I think going to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) was great. They passed The movie with one cut. See, not all bad words are offensive. When you show two mafia members, you have to show them as they are. They're crude. And that's how they talk. You can give the film an A certificate if you don't like the language. That will restrict the audience. But, it would be terrible to have candy floss movies where everyone speaks in the same way. The film has gone through a bit of red tape, but it's worked out well. I don't feel like a victim of censorship.
Do you think that the Censor Board is curbing creativity?
I don't know, but things are taking a political undertone. It's definitely better to make a Baahubali than a Mahabharat. People have become sensitive, and have started blurring the lines between religion, mythology, fact and fiction.
You will complete 25 years in the industry next year. Are you satisfied with the way things have shaped up?
I am. I am enjoying my work tremendously. I have an amazing personal life, and I am finally secure. I'd be more satisfied if some of my recent releases would have done well [laughs]. But, by nature, I am happy and content. I don't have any unnecessary expectations from myself.
Is there anything you wish remains unchanged?
I am kind of used to being a star, and I hope that doesn't change. And when I say the word 'star', it means there should be a certain amount of respect for me on the set, and I enjoy some sort of privilege as I have been among the lead cast members. If the respect isn't there, then there is no point doing what I do.
Has the inability to give Bollywood a hit over the past few years bothered you?
I don't want to be a fool and say it doesn't matter. It does. I have always had a chequered career, and currently, I am going through a bad patch. So, all I try and do is work harder and be better. But, I believe this is the best phase of my career when it comes to performances. I think I have become a better actor, which is ironic. But I have always been a late bloomer. I'll keep working and hopefully, things will fall into place. In the end, I can't be philosophical [about achieving success] always.
Have you gone through the mid-life crisis?
Not yet, and I don't think I will. Maybe because I've learnt to live life from my father. I like being middle-aged, as this is the time when you take things a little slower. I want to be fit, look good. And I know I have got my own vanity. I think late 40's is a time to celebrate. You sip on whiskey, slow down, in a good way. It is the time when people are normally wiser. But, it is also true that all these things would be forgotten. That is how life is, but we keep pushing.
Your family recently lost the legend, Shashi Kapoor. Does the fear of your work being reduced to oblivion after death affect you?
Death is a constant companion. It can happen anytime. It will probably be at an inconvenient time. All I'd like to do is leave behind a nice will for my children, and organise everything for my wife and family.
You spoke about leaving behind a will for your children, but there are great personalises, like Jackie Chan and Warren Buffet, who say their children won't inherit their wealth. Does this thought cross your mind?
It's a complicated thing. As a parent, I need to give some kind of support [to my kid], but the child shouldn't feel that s/he doesn't need to do anything and will be taken care off. When I started off, I didn't get privileges. I grew up in South Mumbai, but when I started my career, I rented an apartment in Lokhandwala. The struggle was constant. There were auditions to bag that one big role. So, I have been there and done that. I've made my own money since then, and I would want my kids to do the same.
But the media is already making them stars by publishing their pictures all the time.
It also depends on where it is written. We have serious newspapers, and we also have some websites that don't matter. Also, people like to read crap. If someone is publishing news about a star's kids, anyone is free to read it. But it's not Pulitzer Prize-winning stuff. So, I don't think there is a need to take it seriously as long as the kid doesn't start considering himself/herself hot property. I have tried to bring my kids up normally, and encourage that they be down-to-earth.
Is that why you have never hidden Taimur from the media?
If hiding Taimur would give us privacy, I wouldn't mind it. But I know it is just going to make things more chaotic. So, I figured, showing him, letting him behave normally is better.
You'd told me earlier that you want to retire at 50, which is in three years from now. Is the plan still on?
I want to be able to retire at 50. But it's really important to work to stay sane. Retiring is like not being involved with the world anymore. I want to feel productive, and probably, I'd like to do a couple of films a year and follow in the footsteps of people like Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan.
In one of my earlier interactions with you, you'd said that if not an actor, you'd want to be a hunter in the jungles of Africa.
Actually, I wanted to be a plumber, but there is not much money in that [laughs]. But yes, I'd like to be a lion hunter in Africa. Just imagine, it would be such a cool life to live. I am sure a lot of people would ridicule this, and laugh, but the fact is that people don't relate to other people and listen or empathise with them.
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