Saif Ali Khan, known for films like Being Cyrus, Omkara and Parineeta, says he will be a better actor in English as it is his primary language.
During an episode of online streaming service Saavn’s upcoming show Take 2 with Anupama and Rajeev, Saif spoke about his career, his daughter Sara and son Taimur, read a statement.
“One of the reasons why I got into films unfortunately, I’m being honest, is because I wasn’t interested in my exams and academics and I just ran away from home and said ‘Oh movies sound great’. But I didn’t really know what I was talking about,” said Saif.
“So, this desire and this understanding of acting came a bit late for me if it had always been there. If it had been there earlier maybe I might have chosen to struggle in the US, I don’t know.”
“But I think being sensible about it, you have more opportunities and again it’s that nepotism thing again. Being mum’s son (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore) would give me a more chance here to meet people than in America. But I think in English I speak in English as a primary language, unless I’m speaking to someone who is working for me usually.
“There’s a difference there, so I think I will be a better actor in English because I’ll know when I’m lying whereas in Hindi I’ve never said to a girl ‘aapki aakhein itni khoobsoorat hai’ (your eyes are so beautiful) so I don’t know whether that sounds genuine or not, I’m not used to saying that,” he added.
On his daughter Sara, who is gearing up for her debut film “Kedarnath”, Saif says he always knew she wanted to be an actress.
“I have seen her do a very funny advert when she was four and she’s been like this all along. There was actress Aishwarya Rai on stage in New York with people going ballistic and Sara sitting on the floor behind the curtain saying ‘This is what I want to do’,” said Saif.
“She always wanted to do this, it’s just that she took a header you know a shine to academics and then ended up doing so well at Columbia that one thought came, listen maybe a slightly more stable thing because I don’t know… who knows. I wish her all the best.
“It is like Soha’s track but Soha didn’t always want to become an actor, Sara did and this is something that she really wants to do so absolutely good luck I think it’s a great job. We’d be talking about Sushant Singh Rajput all day which is great but it’s not as interesting as discussing history with art like we used to,” he added.
Taimur has been in the limelight even before his birth. Saif says he is a “blue eyed boy”.
“He is a genetic treasure trove, he is. He has got a bit of Rabindranath Tagore, he is a bit of Raj Kapoor, a bit of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, little bit of Bhopal. It’s beyond me,” said Saif.