We Have To Police Ourselves

Saif Ali Khan’s Telugu debut, Devara: Part 1, has finally hit the big screens today. Directed by Koratala Siva, the film is headlined by Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor. While Saif’s portrayal of a villain is entertaining fans in theatres, the actor has opened up about the controversies surrounding his previous releases, Adipurush and Tandav. In Adipurush, Saif played the role of Ravan, after which a lawyer in Uttar Pradesh filed a case against him. Describing the incident as “a little unsettling,” Saif said that such events serve as a lesson on the types of roles to avoid in the future.

“There was a case and some kind of decision taken by the court that said an actor is responsible for what he says on screen… I don’t know how real a problem it is. I know a lot of people are not free to say or do whatever they want. We all have to police ourselves slightly and be a bit careful; otherwise, there could be trouble,” Saif Ali Khan said at the India Today Conclave 2024.

Saif Ali Khan also mentioned that areas such as religion should be avoided by the actors. He added, “There are certain areas, like religion, that you need to stay away from. There are many stories that we can tell. We are not here to create trouble.”

Saif Ali Khan also faced backlash for Tandav. The Prime Video show stirred controversy for allegedly portraying Hindu gods in a negative light and including casteist scenes and dialogues. An FIR was filed against the makers of Tandav and the head of Prime Video in India, prompting the makers to issue an apology. Reflecting on the incident, Saif Ali Khan said, “You learn that the next time probably not…if somebody asks me, ‘Would you do the same job again?’ knowing what I know now, I would say, ‘No, it’s asking for trouble.’ Also, I am lucky to get a lot of offers. So, you need to stay away from these areas…Our profession is to bring the whole country together, irrespective of caste and creed.”

Saif Ali Khan will be next seen in Siddharth Anand’s Jewel Thief: The Red Sun Chapter.