Saif Ali Khan on his twin roles in Cocktail, of an actor and a producer, and what he expects from his director in a film. And yes, the wedding is surely happening this year.
You are back in your favourite romcom genre with Cocktail. How do you make it different?
I find it easy to act in romcoms except for saying the lines, which is like learning a piece of music on the guitar. Since Imtiaz Ali has written the lines, it is hard work to get the right rhythm. In romcoms, the characters think and talk at the same time, so you can look for words and make the process more engaging for the viewers. Personally though, I like darker cinema but I'm happy to do romcoms because it's nice to make people happy.
Name three romcoms you go back to?
When Harry Met Sally , Dudley Moore's Arthur and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
From Being Cyrus to Cocktail, how has director Homi Adajania evolved?
Homi is a deeply caring and very kind person. He's also surprisingly good-looking and as fit as a sportsman. You assume he's not going to be so focused on work but he is. You think he'll be a party boy, which he can be, but he's so hardworking, and that has really impressed me.
What is that one quality in a director that you look for when you agree to a project?
I like my director to be like a parent. I feel that if they can take care of me, then they can take care of the film. A director should know when to police you and when to parent you.
Since you are also the producer, how do you navigate this role with that of being the star?
As a producer, my biggest involvement is in making sure that the world is right. I have to ensure that the film is made in the right way, for which I need to hire the right people and then move away. As a person too, I'm quite big on atmosphere — an office should look like one, a dinner party should have certain ingredients that make it feel like a dinner party. I feel directors and actors can be indulgent. A director might want to make a film that shows to the world that he knows his craft — there is an artiste in every director and so we have the director's cut. An actor might get carried away about playing a role, he might insist on playing James Bond, which is an indulgence. A producer has to be the guy they listen to, he reins in their indulgences. His job is to say 'let's make this film because it'll run'.
So everything depends on his Yes or No. Have you ever regretted saying either till now?
Most of the films I've said no to haven't been made and those that got made, didn't work, so it's a relief. It's a big responsibility. A yes that you say in your living room can determine the fortune of 300-odd people working on that project. The biggest decision Dinesh (partner Dinesh Vijan) and I made as producers, was to decide which Imtiaz Ali film to make. We started with Love Aaj Kal. Cocktail is Dinesh's baby while Go Goa Gone, in which I play a zombie hunter, is my idea. Basically, our job is to convince each other on which film to make. We spend a lot of time doing that in the cigar room, which is basically our secret chamber of respect.
What lessons have you learnt from the less than enthusiastic response to your last production, Agent Vinod?
I still believe that the concept of Agent Vinod is great, the execution might have been different to what people think but it is a high-calibre film. We went the extra mile to make it and it was a helluva experience. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter which film ran and which didn't as long as some do. I completely stand by the film and its appeal will grow. It'll be a DVD that people will want to own. As for the learning, I've realised that cinema is not just about the makers, it's also about what the audience wants. Maybe the audience wanted more of Pungi. Who knows?
Is October 16 fixed as your wedding date with Kareena?
No. We haven't fixed the date yet. I still have to speak to her parents and my mom to figure it out. But we'll get married this year.
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