Page 34 - September 2020 Digital Magazine

SAIF ALI KHAN

a victim of nepotism

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan big fuss. Then it came back, and my
got upset when people manager said ‘wow’.”
ridiculed him for saying “When anything unfair happens, I
that he has been a victim don’t think it is right. That’s why I got
of nepotism, and says he upset with people ridiculing me for
has battled dark times and saying I have been a victim of nepotism
phases of lonely struggle. because I’ve also worked hard. People
The actor also revealed that have images in their head that you’re
he has been thrown out of his all privileged and you’ve got a palace
own film in the past. and what does it even mean to you. But
“I don’t think I’ve had it particularly we’ve had our pretty dark times and
easy, even though some people will our lonely struggles, every one of us
say ‘oh, of course, you have’! But I’ve has — especially in my time, I mean,
done a lot of stuff that a lot of people wouldn’t have done. I mean Akshay Kumar would know what I’ve
I’ve played the third lead in some dodgy films like ‘Surakshaa’ been through and I know what he’s
and ‘Ek Tha Raja’, which nobody has heard of,” Saif said. been through,” said the actor during
“But I never thought what the hell am I doing here. I knew what a conversation with actress Neha
I was doing there. I was trying to get paid and trying to do this Dhupia in a podcast
job. I knew it wasn’t going anywhere and I was like ‘okay’. But However, Saif, who is the son of veteran
it helps when you’re 25. It’s alright not to be going anywhere if star Sharmila Tagore and legendary
you’re 25 but you don’t want to be there at 50 for sure. But a former India captain Mansur Ali Khan
job’s a job, right?” he added. Pataudi, looks back at his journey in
Opening up about politics in Bollywood, Saif said, “There are Bollywood with gratitude.
stories like a film might have come or gone, usually, it’s me and “I got thrown out of my own movie
then once or twice somebody’s rung up and said ‘oh, I don’t so we’ve experienced politics,
know, this film that we offered you might not be offered to you we’ve experienced nepotism. We’ve
anymore because there’s been some politics behind the scene’, experienced favoritism, people
so you’re like ‘ok wow’. So, all that has happened.” changing their minds for whatever
“Earlier I commented in an interview saying ‘I’ve also suffered reason, getting a better offer. The
from nepotism’, I’m laughing about it. The point is, that this vicissitudes of the industry — you
industry is not the Red Cross. I mean, there are all kinds of things know the ups and downs of things that
that happen. There is politics and manipulation and control. I’ve happen and therefore, at a certain age
never even been at that level where people are calling the shots. you become a bit philosophical, you
I mean, everyone is in it for themselves. They can control it if they say ‘let me just be happy with what I’m
have a certain amount for power, so they do,” he added. doing’,” he said.
Saif continued, “So, I have been in a situation a couple of times “But generally, it’s been a really
in my career where I’ve been offered something, it’s been done. pleasant experience and with lovely
It’s on paper, and the next day I’ve got a phone call saying, people. I think this industry is wonderful
‘it’s gone’. I’m like, ‘what do you mean it’s gone?’ They’re like and I think it’s a meritocracy and it does,
‘we can’t help it, it’s out of our hands, someone important has it’s very non-judgmental, you could
rung up and said, it’s got to be this way, so sorry’. The first time be anything and it is one profession
it happened, I couldn’t do anything about it because I was too where, I think Jackie Shroff once said,
young, and the second time they tried to do it I made a few a spot boy can be a superstar,” he
phone calls myself and said that you can’t do this and made a concluded.

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