On top of his game

by ASJAD NAZIR

SAIF ALI KHAN EXPLAINS WHY HE WAS EXCITED ABOUT ACCEPTING A LEAD ROLE ON TELEVISION

ACCLAIMED novel Sacred Games has been turned into a stunning serial for Netflix and looks like being the first drama to emerge from India that has global appeal.

Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhi­ka Apte play the lead roles in the twist-laden story of a down-on-his-luck police officer who gets a clue from a notorious gangster to unlock a mys­tery that could save his city. This is the first time actor Saif Ali Khan has ventured away from cine­ma in a big way, and early indications are that he has delivered one of the best performances of his career in the show based on author Vikram Chan­dra’s 2006 thriller.

Eastern Eye caught up with Saif in London to talk about Sacred Games, his challenging charac­ter, motivations today, acting and more.

Did you read the Sacred Games novel before you started the project?

I didn’t read the whole book because it is quite different, apart from the plot. My character Sartaj is in the book, but in the TV serial, he’s slight­ly different. I read enough of the book to find key words to understand and play this guy. I also got his view on things because I have played a few divorced characters recently. I liked the fact that Sartaj is written as being the only person he knows of who has got a divorce. So it is a new thing to him and I liked that.

You mentioned searching for the key words to play your character?

Sometimes when you play someone, you try to find key words that colour everything the character does and the lens with which they see life. So from the book I got that he is “trou­bled” and “honest”.

The other preparation was more the Punjabi physicality of the role. Punjabi guys are usually big and tough, so I had to wear higher heels in my shoes and pump a lot of iron to look like I could bash up a few people.

Was it an easy decision stepping out of the movie zone for a TV drama?

I’m not honestly bothered any more about a lot of things, Asjad. I am just looking to be crea­tively constructive, as modern as possi­ble, trying some­thing new and hav­ing a good time on set. Not having a good time as in being silly, but push­ing the envelope in some way. That is exciting and quite rewarding in itself.

I think Sacred Games is the first se­rial coming out of India with global appeal. Was that the intention when you made it?

Yes, there was that intent. I was really happy that Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap directed it themselves instead of delegating it to a junior assistant. A lot of production houses are doing that. There was a series called Inside Edge, which was directed by assistants because it was for the web, which is fine but this was the best of production put forward including the directors. The best art decoration and the whole thing be­cause they knew this is going to be compared to Narcos, but I feel this is better shot than that.

Your character seems to have a lot of angst. Was that difficult to portray?

There is a lot of meat in there, you know, and lots going on. The charac­ter is addicted to sleeping pills, is a big loser in his own eyes, has this fa­ther complex where he looks upto his own dad as a very honest guy and then wonders if he was a corrupt cop. He has these fears and insecurities, which make him really real unlike any other character I have played on­screen before. I have played slightly unsure characters before, but this is unsure in a different way. I found his graph very appealing. (Laughs) Also he gets slapped around quite often by bad guys, so what kind of cop is this?

How does his graph progress?

He is not some superhero, but be­comes tougher and cooler as time goes by. He hasn’t solved a case in a very long time. He has messed up his marriage, health and everything. He lives alone and is a bit of a loser until he gets this clue from heaven, that lands in his lap from this big mafia guy, who says, ‘I am gonna give you the clue that is going to save the city’. That guy somehow trusts my charac­ter because of something his father had done. Was his father corrupt or a good guy? All these things lead him to worry more. He gets a chance and is the chosen one at the right time. So it is a wonderful arc and how he be­comes a hero has really been han­dled well by the makers.

I believe Sacred Games is your best performance since Omkara. Do you feel the same way?

Thank you Asjad, that is very kind of you. I really enjoyed this performance. In fact, I have enjoyed everything I have done after Phan­tom, starting with Rangoon. I sort of started looking at acting differently. I have really kind of tried to do my best – you can’t always see it in a film like Chef, but I think it takes a big effort not to do too much and let the story tell itself. So I have thought about acting like never before and have im­proved in many ways.

Some of the more recent stuff I have done have been directed with an international touch and performed in a not very Bollywood sense. Hav­ing said that, even Indian films have changed quite a lot in recent times.

You and Nawazuddin Siddiqui don’t act opposite each other, but have created lovely moments individual­ly. Do you have a favourite one?

I don’t know, it is hard to say right now. Nawaz is a fantastic actor and it is lovely working with all these guys. There is a moment later on when I shoot the guy who killed my friend.

There was so much going on in that scene, from running to pulling the trigger. I tried to do it in a particular way and show something the charac­ter is going through. It is in the trailer. I am very pleased with that.

Will there be a second and third season for Sacred Games?

Well, I hope so. Right now we are not meant to speak about that.

At the moment, you are the most unpredictable you have been in your career. What is your biggest motivating factor going forward?

I feel unpredictable. Some films have not run, some things have been writ­ten about nicely with good reviews, but I am honestly not that bothered. I will do the best with what I am of­fered and would like it to be good. It is an exciting phase for me.

You also have some interesting films on the way. Tell us about them?

Yes. In Baazaar I play a Gujarati busi­nessman, who is quite ruthless. That is an exciting role including being able to get the Gujarati accent just right tonally, which is the kind of control I never had before. (Director) Navdeep’s film is just insane and the bravest attempt at cinema like ever. I think someone has to just applaud what the hell we are doing. Horses, dreadlocks and sword fighting in an insane movie.

These projects are complete, but what else is next?

One keeps thinking about what is next for security. I have a big film lined up so I am alright, but actually after these I don’t know. Someone has offered me a film with (daughter) Sara (Ali Khan), which is a father-child story, which might be interesting.

Today what inspires you?

I think people who are older doing things they did when they were younger as in Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, who is really pushing the envelope. People who are old enough to retire, but are still on top of their game. That is really impressive.

The whole world is binge watching TV, but which shows do you like?

I watched The Crown on Netflix and obviously Narcos. There are many shows I like. I love watching TV. I like Midsomer Murders. ITV3 in this country is usually playing something my wife and I love. After coming home from work and spending some time with Taimur, I would choose Netflix over socialising with people.

Finally, why do you enjoy the craft of acting so much?

I like the process. I think a creative job is really important to life. I enjoy my life, but I love the whole prepara­tion part after I get a script. I just think about who this guy is and learn the lines. I love to create this person and get all overwhelmed, then say to myself, ‘just go and do it’, because too much thinking can be dangerous. That whole process and the moment you know the lines and are able to deliver them is magical. When you understand what you are meant to be doing is what I love about it.

• Sacred Games is available on Netflix now