Throughout his go to to Koffee with Karan 7, Akshay Kumar candidly confessed how Bollywood heroes are petrified of doing multi-starrer movies. Given how hero-worshipping is frequent within the nation, his assertion didn’t come as a shock to many. Most main males in movies need to shoulder their mission and infrequently spend sleepless nights once they need to share display screen house with one other large star. Nonetheless, we’ve seen a shift as just a few stars, assured of their pores and skin, have picked up multi-cast initiatives. Vikram Vedha, that’s set to launch on Friday, is one such instance. Whereas the unique too had stars Vijay Sethupathi and R Madhavan within the leads, the Hindi adaptation has Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan taking cost.
Lately, at a press meet, Hrithik opened up about signing multi-hero movies stating that it makes ‘work simpler’ for him. Citing examples of his outings Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Struggle, he mentioned, “My first intuition is to say, ‘It simply makes your work a lot simpler and higher.’ You get to see extra. So I don’t suppose an actor needs to be against it. I’d like to do an ensemble, the extra the merrier. As a result of working in these equations the place you’re not standing by your self, however it’s a must to relate and provides and take with different essential, or extra essential characters in the identical movie, are your entry factors to rising. I did ZNMD, Struggle and now with Saif, it actually pushes you to be higher since you’re seeing great performing in entrance of you. And for me, it has been an unbelievable expertise, each time I’ve achieved a two-hero movie or an ensemble. It’s been means higher and enjoyable for me.”
Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon and Akshay Kumar in Keemat. (Categorical Archive)
Whereas Hrithik has made these selections in the previous couple of years, his co-star Saif Ali Khan has by no means shied away from engaged on multi-starrer. Ever for the reason that begin of his profession, the Nawab has labored with different stars, generally to an equal extent and generally, whilst a second fiddle. Curiously, most of his greatest hits, crucial and field workplace sensible, have been movies the place he has starred with one other hero. Even Saif’s selections on the OTT have been likewise, be it Sacred Video games or Tandav.
Saif began on a excessive starring alongside Aamir Khan with Yash Chopra’s Parampara in 1993 but it surely appeared just like the eldest baby of Sharmila Tagore, wasn’t fairly able to blossom into movies. After a sequence of flops, Saif was roped in to pair up with Akshay Kumar in two movies — Yeh Dillagi and Major Khiladi Tu Anari, and he caught gold. Each emerged because the highest-grossing movies within the yr and helped the actor discover a sturdy footing in Bollywood. He was seen for his comedian timing and dance strikes, and it seemed just like the actor was set to lastly dwell his dream. Nonetheless, his hopes got here crashing down as his subsequent set of movies like Suraksha, Ek Tha Raja, Dil Tera Diwana, Keemat and Humse Badhkar Kaun, amongst extra, tanked on the field workplace.
Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgn, Manisha Koirala and Namrata Shirodkar in Kacche Dhaage. (Categorical Archive)
It was quickly assumed that his profession was over, and rightly so, as for 4 consecutive years, the actor didn’t see any success. After which, in 1999, the actor appeared in Kachche Dhaage, Aarzoo, and Hum Saath-Saath Hain, all of which hit the appropriate notes on the field workplace. All of those movies had him working with different stars — Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Salman Khan, respectively, and gave him an opportunity to showcase his many features. Whereas it may need been frightful to be seemed upon because the ‘supporting actor’, Saif discovered consolation and a few good roles on the best way.
In 2001, after a lukewarm Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega with Fardeen Khan and Aftab Shivdasani, Saif Ali Khan starred in Farhan Akhtar’s debut directorial Dil Chahta Hai. The approaching-of-age movie for the primary time celebrated bromance and gave equal weightage to its actors Saif, Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna. Now a cult basic, Dil Chahta Hai gained a Nationwide Award for the very best movie, and in addition a sequence of awards for Saif.
Akshay Khanna, Saif Ali Khan and Aamir Khan in a nonetheless from Dil Chahta Hai. (Categorical Archive)
His profession, at least a roller-coaster journey, went by means of a dip once more, till Saif Ali Khan signed up for Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003. Pitted in opposition to Shah Rukh Khan, Saif performed an enthralling younger man making an attempt to win the love of his greatest good friend, performed by Priety Zinta. In an interview, the actor talked about how the success of the movie led him to bag his ‘first solo lead’ Hum Tum. “I used to be the final of the second leads. I felt a coming of age. I used to be working with the easiest within the business. Director, co-stars, DOP — and I held my very own. I felt Shah Rukh taught me a lot — primarily the duty of the primary lead, however maintaining with him was an actual problem. This function led to me getting my first solo lead,” JHB quoted him.
Whereas Hum Tum gained him a Nationwide Award, it additionally gave filmmakers the boldness to get Saif to headline initiatives, from Parineeta, Ek Hasina Thi to Salaam Namaste. Nonetheless, even then the 52-year-old selected to be a part of a lot of multi-starrers. Beginning with Being Cyrus with Naseeruddin Shah, Omkara with Ajay Devgn, Eklavya and Aarakshan with Amitabh Bachchan, Race with Anil Kapoor and Akshay Khanna and even Tashan with Akshay Kumar. Within the meantime, Saif Ali Khan additionally topped his filmography with just a few solo movies like Love Aaj Kal, Agent Vinod, Tara Rum Pum and Cocktail.
In 2013, he featured within the thriller Race 2 and zombie-comedy Goa Goa Gone, and the following yr in comedy-drama Humshakals, all being multi-starrers. After enjoying the lead in Phantom, Saif discovered himself once more sharing house with one other hero (Shahid Kapoor) in Rangoon. Then got here Chef and Kaalaakandi, earlier than he signed up for Netflix India’s first authentic Sacred Video games. Although he performed the lead, the present had some excellent character roles, who stood out, plus Nawazuddin Siddiqui because the antagonist, who took up equal display screen house. Nonetheless, it did him actual good as he immediately gained an enormous world viewers.
His subsequent movies Bazaar and Laal Kaptain failed making the thrill of him being jinxed as a solo hero rising louder. Then got here Tanhaji (2020) with Ajay Devgn, that reinstated business and followers’ religion in him as an actor. The actor, nonetheless. failed once more as a hero in Jawaani Jaaneman, solely to garner reward in Tandav, Ali Abbas Zafar’s ensemble internet present on Amazon Prime Video.
Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit, Saif Ali Khan, Lawrence D’Souza and Amrish Puri on the mahurat of Aarzoo. (Categorical Archive picture by RD Rai)
His final two movies — Bunty Aur Babli 2 and Bhoot Police, though multi-starrers, nonetheless, failed on the field workplace. Whereas Vikram Vedha with Hrithik Roshan is now up for public viewing, Saif can also be gearing up for the discharge of Adipurush with Telugu star Prabhas and the sequel of Go Goa Gone with Kunal Kemmu and co.
Nicely, as they are saying, to every his personal, Saif Ali Khan might have discovered his calling in multi-hero movies. Could also be as Hrithik rightly talked about, it makes work ‘simpler and higher’. It is also pushing your limits to match as much as your co-stars or simply working comfy with out the onus of the movie’s future fully on you. Saif shouldn’t be solely getting higher roles, the chance to shine but in addition awards. That sounds to us means higher than being the face of a mission, solely to have it rejected by the viewers. And effectively, until the time his followers are attending to see him mesmerize on display screen, they too haven’t any complaints. Isn’t it?