Its all about style: Saif bebo on Tashan

Style couple Saif and Kareena discuss new film

Kareena Kapoor has been on a roll ever since the release of Jab We Met and its overwhelming success has given her an elevated status in Bollywood. The film also marked the end of her personal relationship with Shahid Kapoor.

Ironically, her new release, Tashan, marks the beginning of a romantic liaison with leading man Saif Ali Khan as they fell in love during the making of the film. Kapoor opened up to tabloid! about the special film that has her sporting a hot new look.

How did you go about getting into shape and designing your new look for Tashan?

I am really excited about my look in this film. I trained really hard to change the shape of my body which I wanted to do keeping my character in mind. I wanted to have a lean look for this film and I think Aki Narula, the costume designer, has complemented my body with his costumes. Aki is one of the most talented designers we have as he gets into the skin of each and every character. I think the whole idea of keeping a very grunge and rugged look for me has really worked because I don't think an Indian actress has really done that on screen before. Normally, an Indian actress has to look eternally beautiful onscreen, but in this film we have brought a lot of sexiness to the character through the clothes, make-up and hair. We have all worked together as a team to create a unique look for me and I am sure Aki is going to win a lot of accolades for this film.

Considering Tashan has some heavy-duty action sequences, did you undergo any special training for the scenes?

To be honest, I don't enjoy doing action scenes as I am a bit nervous. For starters, I made a conscious effort to look a bit lean because I think a lean girl doing action always looks much better. So, I trained really hard for about eight to nine months and was on a strict diet. I think Peter Hinnes is the best action director we have around and (thanks to) the kind of precautions he took, we were literally mollycoddled as actors so I really owe it to him. I did a lot of action in the film and the safety measures were great, making me feel comfortable.

How do you find Saif Ali Khan as an actor and what was it like to work together in Tashan?

Saif is one of India's most respected and finest actors. As an actress, I respect him the most. I think he can do any role and the way he has played his role in Tashan is just unbelievable. You can learn so much from him by the kind of nuances he adds to his character and the way he speaks and modulates his voice. Moreover, he is a fun-loving person and warm co-star. I absolutely love working with him and I hope to do many more movies with him.

Comparatively, how did you find your other male co-stars, Akshay Kumar and Anil Kapoor?

I have done about nine films with Akshay and have known him since he did his first shot in his first film. I think we have an emotional relationship and I am most comfortable with him as a co-star probably due to the fact that he has seen me in my school uniform with two pigtails, hanging around as a kid. As of today, he's the shining star of Bollywood and I have always enjoyed working with him. Anil is like a part of my family. He is very close to my family. I think he is one of India's finest actors and every time I see him perform my mouth is, like, left open in amazement.

What do you think about the music of Tashan?

This is the first time Vishal-Shekhar has composed music for my film and they have done a great job. It's youthful and in sync with the script. I think the best song is Challiya and maybe I am selfish as the song was shot fantastically on me in Greece. Dil Haara is a great love song that was also shot on me and Saif at fantastic locations in Greece. I think Vishal-Shekar have covered an entire spectrum of music in this film.

Finally, what is your style quotient in Tashan?

My style lies in the way I am, my attitude towards life, towards work and towards people. Tashan basically means attitude and that's what it means to me also.

Rollercoaster ride

Tashan is the latest big-budget multi-starrer extravaganza from Yashraj Films — India's biggest production house. The film is an out-and-out commercial masala flick with some unconventional characterisation that is expected to stand out. The movie's title means style and attitude and has been shot accordingly with each star having their own style quotient in the film. Tashan follows a journey of three characters — Jimmy Cliff (Saif Ali Khan), call centre executive; Bachchan Pande (Akshay Kumar), wannabe gangster; and Pooja (Kareena Kapoor), an untrustworthy beautiful damsel.

While they cannot trust each other, they need to stick to each other if they are to survive their adventurous ride across the India. To top it all, there is the evil eye of Bhaiyyaji (Anil Kapoor), a maverick gangster who is as intent on mastering his English as he is on killing people. The movie promises to be a rollercoaster ride filled with pulsating song and dance sequences accompanied by mind-blowing action scenes that will have the audience asking for more.
n Tashan opens in cinemas across the UAE on Thursday.

Saif Ali Khan's stock has shot up since the super success of Race and with the stunning Kareena Kapoor in his arms, he has surely become the envy of men worldwide.

Tashan is his first release with Kareena after they became a couple. The film, being released in the UAE, also reunites Khan with Akshay Kumar, with whom he made a formidable team in the '90s and delivered hits such as Yeh Dillagi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari.

Khan told tabloid! about his latest role, new look, Kareena and his competitive spirit with Kumar.

This is your first film with Kareena Kapoor after you became a couple. What was it like to act with her in Tashan?

It was the first time I worked with Kareena after LOC: Kargil and the experience of working with her in Tashan was special. She is a very spontaneous actress who is easy to work with. She is a very flexible actress as she adjusts herself according to the actor she is working alongside and that makes her a very good co-star.

So what made you do Tashan?

To be honest, the first time I heard the narration of the film, I refused to do the film as I could not comprehend some elements. But later, when I read the script, I loved it and in fact I started laughing as I was reading some of the dialogue. I just thought it was a very unpredictable and funny movie despite the basic plot being a revenge story. It's a classic kind of Hindi film story in a way, but at the same time the treatment is different with lots of new techniques. It's definitely going to be the hottest film of the year.

Can you tell us about your character?

I play an odd character, Jimmy, who has had a strange sort of childhood where his father used to dress him up in white clothes, like Jeetendra, and make him dance publicly. As a result of that he is a little bit off, lives alone and works in a call centre, romancing his female colleagues at work. He ends up falling madly in love with the Pooja played by Kareena and his life becomes hell, which, in the end, actually turns out to be the best adventure he has ever been on.

Why are you sporting a double-barrelled moustache for this role? Do you like yourself with a moustache?

The title of the film, Tashan, means style and attitude. Everyone in the film had to bring their own Tashan. So I opted for this kind of moustache with a different haircut giving an off feel to my character without looking weird. I think I enjoyed the moustache. I was a little uncomfortable with it initially as I thought it looked funny, but then I grew into it quite well. Now, I have seen a lot of people with a similar kind of a moustache.

Is it true you had to starve yourself to shoot the song Dil Haara in Greece?

I usually go on holiday during Christmas and New Year when I tend to have a good time eating and drinking and end up putting on a little bit of weight. Adi (Aditya Chopra, producer of Tashan) wanted this item number to be shot stylishly in Greece. So Adi told me that he didn't want me to look like a dad after partying during this festive season as he may have to shoot the song on a set in Mumbai and would be very disappointed to do that. So, unfortunately, I had to starve for the greater part of my trip to Hong Kong. I did lose a fair amount of weight and I ended up looking good, which made Adi happy as he was used to seeing me quite fat. The song was shot stylishly on Kareena and me at a beautiful Greek island called Milos, which has underwater caves. Since the song was shot in the middle of winter it was tormenting to work in chilly weather and freezing water. But at the end of it, everyone was happy with the outcome.

Finally, as a co-star, how has Akshay Kumar changed over time?

When I worked with Akshay in the earlier days, he used to ask me do the acting while he did the action but now I think he is doing both almost better than anyone else. Now, he has become one of the best actors with a remarkable sense of comic timing. I haven't worked with him for a while and I really enjoyed it this time. It's always great to do a film with him as we compete quite seriously with each other, which is really good. He sometimes adds his own stuff that is not included in the script — that drives me mad — and then I make up things that are not in the script and eventually we end up with a good scene. We go on like this until the director asks us what's going on, but it's always fun to act with him.
n For interviews with Tashan co-stars Anil Kapoor and Akshay Kumar,

Special film

Saif Ali Khan is riding high. With his latest girlfriend, Kareena Kapoor, on his arm, there's something more that's bringing a smile to Saif's face.

Saif's son, Ebrahim, will be making his first big screen appearance in Tashan. If that doesn't make papa Saif happy, what will? "Ebrahim will be seen in a cameo role in Tashan. However, we cannot reveal his role and what he does. Surprises must be kept," says Monica Bhattacharya, spokesperson for YashRaj Films. Though we don't know much about Ebrahim's role in the film, we have learnt that Saif is very happy with his son's performance.