It's official: Saif and Dinesh part ways

Saif Ali Khan and his business partner, Dinesh Vijan, have parted ways. They will now produce films together only if they are on the same page on a given subject. Says the actor-producer, "From now on, Illuminati Films will be only Saif Ali Khan's company. Dinesh will head his company, Maddock. Our joint ventures will be produced under another banner which has yet to be named." For almost four years, the two have had creative differences and had planned to end their partnership after Agent Vinod.

That decision was finally taken a week after their last co-production, Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, opened in the theatres. Was the lukewarm response to the new-age love story marking begum Kareena's cousin, Armaan Jain's Bollywood debut, the reason for the split? "Not really, though I was clueless of what was going on. As far as I'm concerned, Go Goa Gone was technically our last film together," says Saif, admitting that Dinesha nd he had been thinking of working independently for quite some time now.

He admits that though it's sad parting ways with a friend more than a partner, he is happy that finally he can produce films he believes in. "Isn't it better this way? We don't have to share the control. Now, I can produce the films I believe in and Dinesh can also go ahead with subjects he feels strongly about. It can get annoying when you have to do things you don't want to," Saif reasons.

The Nawab of Pataudi insists that the parting was amicable. And makes it clear that he will not star in every film he greenlights. "In fact, I don't think I will star in any of my productions initially. Later, I will," he informs, adding that he may now collaborate with other like-minded producers. "But what I make will be my decision solely and not anyone else's," he asserted. Saif and Dinesh, who floated their production house in 2007, first met during the making of Homi Adajania's 2005 film Being Cyrus. At that point they were on the same wavelengths as far as filmmaking goes. But that obviously has changed now. Dinesh didn't respond to our calls and texts.

MEANWHILE...

Saif is not going ahead with the biopic on his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi for now. "It's a difficult film to make and the person who directs it will have to do justice to the subject," he points out. "Also, it isn't easy bringing out every detail about somebody else's life. I might go ahead with it in future, but as of now, I am not sure."