Saif Ali Khan’s Tandav had a lasting impact on him, says, 'We weren’t sure…'

The world of OTT has seen its fair share of controversies, and Saif Ali Khan, a pioneer in the space, found himself at the center of one with his 2021 Amazon Prime Video release, "Tandav." The show, while lauded by some, sparked outrage among certain viewers, leading to a debate about censorship on OTT platforms. This experience, it seems, has had a lasting impact on Saif, who recently revealed in an interview that self-censorship has become a prevalent practice among filmmakers.

Saif Ali Khan said, “When we started off, we weren’t really sure. We thought there was more freedom (on OTT), maybe fewer concerns and rules in that sense. (After Tandav), A lot of people realised that there are certain areas you should stay away from. We were forming some kind of self-censorship, coming up with ideas on how to steer clear of controversy and just bring out a good piece of film. Earlier, we weren’t sure. So, in that sense, we are more aware of what the landscape is now,"

There are certain things I wouldn’t do, and productions probably wouldn’t either. We know where we should and shouldn’t go, but there’s still so much to explore. It’s such an exciting medium, and there’s so much we can do and look forward to in terms of great ideas and great stories. People are still talking about Adolescence, which right now seems like the biggest thing that’s ever happened on OTT, that’s the potential of the medium

- Saif Ali Khan

While many Bollywood stars have praised the show "Adolescence," some have said that a show like that could never be made in India. Saif was asked if streaming services are becoming less free, and he responded, “It’s a complex issue, and I don’t want to get into it right now."

He added, “Just because it’s free doesn’t mean the idea is to offend anyone. Personally, I feel quite free. I don’t feel my freedom is restricted at all when I’m acting on OTT. I’m also happy to steer clear of controversial subjects that don’t need to be told. If someone else feels their freedom is being curbed, I don’t know (about that), but I personally don’t experience that."

Get ready to see Saif Ali Khan back on screen, this time in a Netflix thriller! The heist film "Jewel Thief," directed by Siddharth Anand (known for "Pathaan"), is set to premiere on the streaming platform. The film boasts an impressive cast including Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kunal Kapoor, and Nikita Dutta.