Saif Ali Khan is an
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n actor known for his work in
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films. He is the son of the late former
Nawab of PataudiThe term Nawab of Pataudi may refer to any of an Afghan/Pashtun lineage of rulers of the princely Pataudi State in India, but most commonly refers to the 8th Nawab, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who played cricket for both England and India. Both he and his son the 9th Nawab captained the Indian...
,
Mansoor Ali Khan PataudiMansoor Ali Khan or Mansur Ali Khan , sometimes M.A.K. Pataudi , nicknamed Tiger Pataudi, was an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team...
, and actress
Sharmila TagoreSharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress
Soha Ali Khan- Early life :Khan was born into the erstwhile princely family of Pataudi. She has Muslim Pashtun ancestry through Nawabs of Pataudi lineage from her father's side and Bengali Hindu ancestry from her mother's side...
.
Making his acting debut in 1992 with
ParamparaParampara is a 1993 Bollywood movie starring Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Ashwini Bhave, Aamir Khan, Ramya Krishna, Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon, Neelam Kothari and Anupam Kher. The film is produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwala and directed by Yash Chopra. Aditya Chopra wrote the screenplay for the film...
, Khan had his first major success with the 1994 films
Main Khiladi Tu AnariMain Khiladi Tu Anari is a 1994 Bollywood film. The film is a remake of the 1991 Hollywood film The Hard Way. The films screenplay is by Sachin Bhowmick...
and
Yeh DillagiYeh Dillagi is a 1994 Bollywood film, produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Naresh Malhotra. It is an adaptation of the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina. It stars Akshay Kumar, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan. Karisma Kapoor has a special appearance. The film was a big success in 1994...
. After going through several years of decline in the 1990s, he rose into prominence with his performance in
Dil Chahta HaiDil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
(2001), which marked his professional turning point. His performance in
Nikhil Advani-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...
's
Kal Ho Naa HoKal Ho Naa Ho is a 2003 Hindi film set in New York City. It stars Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan and Jaya Bachchan. The film was directed by first-timer Nikhil Advani, it was produced by Yash Johar and co-written by Karan Johar, better known as the director of the hit films Kuch Kuch...
(2003) won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, and he won the
National Film Award for Best ActorThe National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
for his performance in
Hum TumHum Tum is a Bollywood movie, released in India on 28 May 2004, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra. The movie stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles....
(2004). He then had commercial success with films like
Salaam NamasteThe film has seven songs composed by the duo Vishal-Shekhar. The music of the film released on 10 August 2005. The music includes four songs and two remixes.-External links:*...
(2005),
Race (2008) and
Love Aaj KalLove Aaj Kal is a 2009 Bollywood film starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles with Rahul Khanna, Rishi Kapoor and Giselli Monteiro in supporting roles. The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan...
(2009), and starred in critically acclaimed projects such as
ParineetaParineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005) and
OmkaraOmkara is a 2006 Indian film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, co-written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. It starred Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles, supported by Vivek Oberoi, Naseeruddin Shah, and Konkona Sen Sharma with a cameo role from Bipasha Basu...
(2006). These accomplishments have established him as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema and he was awarded the
Padma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
civilian award by the
Government of IndiaThe Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
in 2010. In 2009, Khan branched out into
film productionFilmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
with his company Illuminati Films.
Life
Saif Ali Khan has
MuslimIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
PashtunPashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
ancestry through
Nawabs of PataudiThe term Nawab of Pataudi may refer to any of an Afghan/Pashtun lineage of rulers of the princely Pataudi State in India, but most commonly refers to the 8th Nawab, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who played cricket for both England and India. Both he and his son the 9th Nawab captained the Indian...
lineage from his father's side and
HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
BengaliThe Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
TagoreThe Tagore family, with over three hundred years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, and is regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance...
ancestry from his mother's side. His paternal grandfather,
Iftikhar Ali Khan PataudiIftikhar Ali Khan , sometimes I.A.K. Pataudi was the 8th Nawab of Pataudi and captain of the Indian cricket team. He was one of few cricketers to have played for two countries, having also played for the English Test side...
, was the Nawab of Pataudi as well as an accomplished cricketer who played for
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and then for
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as the captain of the team. His paternal grandmother was
Sajida Sultan, Begum of BhopalSajida Sultan was a Begum of Bhopal in her own right, and consort to a Nawab of Pataudi.Sajida was the second daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, last ruling Nawab of Bhopal. She was the grand daughter of Begum Sultan Jahan, the fourth ruling queen of Bhopal...
and his great-uncle was
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i general
Nawabzada Sher Ali Khan PataudiMajor General Nawabzada Sher Ali Khan of Pataudi HJ, was born 13 May 1913, the second son of Nawab Ibrahim Ali Khan of Pataudi, in Pataudi. He was educated at Aitchison College, Lahore, the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College , Dehradun and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.He was...
. His father was
Mansoor Ali Khan PataudiMansoor Ali Khan or Mansur Ali Khan , sometimes M.A.K. Pataudi , nicknamed Tiger Pataudi, was an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team...
, a former captain of the
Indian cricket teamThe Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
and the ninth Nawab of Pataudi until the abolition of titles by India in 1971. Following the death of his father, Saif Ali Khan was proclaimed the Nawab of Pataudi by villagers of Pataudi State in deference to tradition, although the title carries no official or legal significance.
Khan has two sisters Saba Ali Khan and
Soha Ali Khan- Early life :Khan was born into the erstwhile princely family of Pataudi. She has Muslim Pashtun ancestry through Nawabs of Pataudi lineage from her father's side and Bengali Hindu ancestry from her mother's side...
. Khan's mother is
Sharmila TagoreSharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
, a Bengali Indian film actress and a member of Bengal's
Tagore familyThe Tagore family, with over three hundred years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, and is regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance...
. She is also the head of the Indian film censorship board and the grand-niece of Nobel laureate
Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
. Tagore converted to
IslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
from
HinduismHinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
after her marriage to Khan's father, and changed her name to Begum Ayesha Sultana. Khan spent his childhood in a
MuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
atmosphere, reading the Quran, with his grandmother being the centre of his religious education. Khan says that "Religion played a major role in my upbringing." Khan also states that his family is "cool or rather massively open–minded about religious matters." For example, he acknowledges that his daughter is born into a
MuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
family, however he states that he will not decide her religion for her.
Initially Khan studied at the Lawrence School Sanawar and later attended
Lockers Park SchoolLockers Park School is a day and boarding preparatory school for 140 boys, situated in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Each year it sends boys to the main public schools in the UK, including Harrow, Eton, Radley, Bradfield and Rugby. Its current headmaster is David Farquharson.-History:Lockers Park...
in
HertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. He followed in his father's footsteps by attending
Winchester CollegeWinchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, an
independent schoolAn independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for boys in the UK. Khan can speak his native languages of Hindi and
BengaliBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
fluently, as well as
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Early work, until 2000
In 1993, he won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for
Aashiq AwaraAashiq Awara is a 1993 Indian film directed by Umesh Mehra.-Awards and nominations:* Winner, of Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Saif Ali Khan in Filmfare Awards, 1994-Songs:* "Saat Sooron Ke Sangam Se" by Alka Yagnik...
. His breakthrough role came in 1994 with
Yeh DillagiYeh Dillagi is a 1994 Bollywood film, produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Naresh Malhotra. It is an adaptation of the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina. It stars Akshay Kumar, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan. Karisma Kapoor has a special appearance. The film was a big success in 1994...
starring opposite
KajolKajol Devgn , better known as Kajol, is an Indian film actress appearing in Hindi films. She is regarded as one of India's most successful and talented female actors....
and
Akshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
which was his first major hit. Khan went on to star in many films but they failed at the box office. He only had success with multi-starrer hits like
Main Khiladi Tu AnariMain Khiladi Tu Anari is a 1994 Bollywood film. The film is a remake of the 1991 Hollywood film The Hard Way. The films screenplay is by Sachin Bhowmick...
(1994),
ImtihaanImtihaan is a 1994 Bollywood movie starring Sunny Deol, Raveena Tandon and Saif Ali Khan.- Synopsis :Vicky is a popular singer who meets and falls in love with Priti . He asks her father for her hand in marriage, he instantly approves of him. Priti is reluctant to marry him but she agrees for her...
(1995),
Kachche DhaageKachche Dhaage is a 1999 Hindi action thriller film directed by Milan Luthria and starring Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film, which features Devgan as a smuggler, delivering goods across the Rajasthan-Pakistan border, was filmed in the deserts of Rajasthan and in Switzerland...
(1999) and
Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand UnitedHum Saath-Saath Hain : We Stand United is a 1999 Indian film written and directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya. The film was distributed by the home production of Sooraj Barjatya, Rajshri Productions. The film stars Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Mohnish Behl...
(1999). After some box office failures he had a hit with the film
Kya Kehna-Awards:* Filmfare Best Story Award - Honey Irani* IIFA Award for Technical Excellence - Best Screenplay - Farhan Akhtar* Sansui Best Actress Award - Preity Zinta...
(2000).
Turning point, 2001-03
His acting career, more or less, went through a relative slump until 2001, when he was cast in
Farhan AkhtarFarhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
's National Film Award-winning
Dil Chahta HaiDil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
, co-starring
Aamir KhanAamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
and
Akshaye KhannaAkshaye Khanna is a critically acclaimed Indian film actor who works in Hindi cinema. Known for his impeccable acting talent and flawless diction, Khanna has worked with the best names in Indian cinema.- Background :...
. Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, it is set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of transition in the lives of three young friends. Despite receiving a positive critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India; it performed well in the big cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to the urban-oriented lifestyle depicted in the movie. He received much acclaim for his role as Sameer with critic Taran Adarsh calling it
his career-best performance.
He has since had many box office successes, starting with
Nikhil Advani-Early life and background:Advani was born in Mumbai. His father has a Pharmaceutical business and his mother is an advertising professional.He studied at Green Lawns High School, Breach Candy, and later did his Masters in chemistry at St...
's drama
Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), co-starring alongside
Shahrukh KhanShahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
and
Preity ZintaPreity Zinta is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se in 1998 followed by a role in Soldier the same year...
. The film, set in New York, starred Saif as Rohit, Zinta's best friend, who later realises that he loves her. The film was the second top-grossing film of the year, and Khan's performance was praised by critics. He won the
Filmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...
, as well as other awards in that category in other award ceremonies.
Solo success and critical acclaim, 2004-08
Till date, Khan's films often featured him as the supporting cast, though following the success of
Dil Chahta Hai and
Kal Ho Naa Ho, producers began signing him on for the main lead. In early 2004, Khan was approached by
Sriram RaghavanSriram Raghavan is an Indian film director and screen writer. He is notable for producing a 45-minute documentary on Indian serial killer Raman Raghav and 2004 Hindi feature film Ek Hasina Thi produced by Ram Gopal Varma, starring Urmila Matondkar and Saif Ali Khan. His second feature film was...
to star as the globetrotting bachelor, Karan Singh Rathod, in his directorial debut,
Ek Hasina ThiEk Hasina Thi is a 2004 Indian psychological thriller film noir by Sriram Raghavan, produced by Ram Gopal Varma, and starring Urmila Matondkar and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. The screenplay was by Sriram Raghavan and Pooja Ladha Surti...
. The film tells the story of a young woman (played by
Urmila MatondkarUrmila Matondkar is an Indian film actress.Matondkar, who made her screen debut as a child artist in the 1980 film Kalyug, debuted as an adult in Narasimha...
) who meets with Khan's character, and is subsequently arrested for having links with the underworld. When Khan was intitially offered the project, he was unable to do it due to his busy schedule. However, when the director approached him several months later, he agreed to do the film. Upon release, the film was critically embraced, with Khan's performing earning praise. The
Deccan HeraldThe Deccan Herald is a leading English-language daily newspaper distributed in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is published by the Printers Private Limited and has a number of editions in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore, Mangalore and Gulbarga....
reported, "From suave loverboy to self-serving skunk, he (Khan) moves with such brilliance that he leaves you breathless [...] He holds his own in a movie that is completely Urmila's." For his performance, Khan received nominations at the
Star ScreenThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
,
Zee CineThe Zee Cine Awards or "ZCA" for short is an awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. It was first held in 1998 in Mumbai. Since then, it has gained substantial popularity as a notable awards ceremony to the Indian population as well as to the viewers of Zee Network.In 2004, the ZCA went...
and
IIFAThe International Indian Film Academy Awards, also known as the IIFA Awards are presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in...
ceremonies.
He followed it with the leading role in
Kunal KohliKunal Kohli is an Indian film director, producer and writer- Biography :Born in Mumbai,Kunal Kohli is a true Indian director. He is a "family man" as he claims on a video interview....
's romantic comedy
Hum TumHum Tum is a Bollywood movie, released in India on 28 May 2004, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra. The movie stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles....
. Featured opposite
Rani MukerjiRani Mukerji is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies. In the course of her film career, she has received six Filmfare Awards, among twelve nominations....
, the film follows the encounters of the two main characters until they, after several years and various meetings, become friends and finally fall in love. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films, with a domestic box office of . Khan played the role of Karan Kapoor, a young cartoonist and womaniser whose relationship with Rhea Prakash (played by Mukerji) changes his perception of women and life.
Rediff.comRediff.com India is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 as "Rediff On The NeT" and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York City, USA....
wrote about his performance: "Saif reprises his urbane self from
Dil Chahta Hai and
Kal Ho Naa Ho, peppering it with occasional fits of introspection and angst, and marking himself as an actor whose time has come." He won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role and was conferred the coveted
National Film Award for Best ActorThe National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
in 2005 among much controversy. It marked the beginning of his work with
Yash Raj FilmsYash Raj Films is an Indian Entertainment company set up by Yash Chopra, an Indian film director and producer who is considered an entertainment mogul in India.-Initial years:...
, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.
In 2005, Khan appeared in two movies. His first release was
Pradeep SarkarPradeep Sakar is a writer and director who works in the Bollywood industry.He began his career with Vinod Chopra Productions, the production company of acclaimed director Vidhu Vinod Chopra....
's
ParineetaParineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005), an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's
1914 Bengali novella by the same nameParineeta is a 1914 Bengali language novella written by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay and is set in Calcutta, India during the early part of the 20th century. It is a novel of social protest which explores issues of that time period related to class and religion.-Title:The word Parineeta is...
. Prior to being cast, the film's producer,
Vidhu Vinod ChopraVidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...
was initially reluctant in casting Khan as the male protagonist because he felt that "I could not manage it". After much deliberation, Chopra was persuaded by Sarkar who felt that Khan was perfect for the role. The film garnered critical acclaim upon release and Khan's portrayal of Shekhar Rai earned him nominations for
Best Actor at a number of award ceremonies. Derek Elley from
VareityVariety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
wrote, "Khan, who has gradually been developing away from light comedy, again shows smarts as a substantial actor." His next release was
Siddharth AnandSiddharth Anand is an Indian film director. He is the son of film producer Bittu Anand who produced the Amitabh Bachchan hit, Shahenshah. Anand's grandfather was screenwriter Inder Raj Anand who wrote 120 films including Safar, Sangam and Ek Duje Ke Liye...
's comedy-drama
Salaam NamasteThe film has seven songs composed by the duo Vishal-Shekhar. The music of the film released on 10 August 2005. The music includes four songs and two remixes.-External links:*...
opposite
Preity ZintaPreity Zinta is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se in 1998 followed by a role in Soldier the same year...
. Produced by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature to be filmed entirely in Australia and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production outside of India, earning internationally. Khan played the role of the egotistic, laid-back chef, Nikhil Arora. According to Khalid Mohamed, "
Salaam Namaste is unthinkable without Saif Ali Khan. He rescues several untidily written scenes with his neat wit and that flustered 'how-did-I-get-into-this-soup?' facial expression."
He next played the protagonist in the
English languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
art filmAn art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
,
Being CyrusBeing Cyrus is an English language Indian film directed by Homi Adajania and released in 2006. It is a psychological drama revolving around a dysfunctional Parsi family...
(2006), co-starring alongside
Naseeruddin ShahNaseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
and
Dimple KapadiaDimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...
. Directed by debutant
Homi AdajaniaHomi Adajania is an Indian film director. His directorial debut Being Cyrus was an off-beat English-Language psychological drama film. Touted as one of the brilliant emerging directors coming from India, Homi Adajania was also the co-author of Being Cyrus, which was his debut as a director. He has...
, the psychological drama revolves around a dysfunctional
ParsiParsi or Parsee refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community....
family with who Khan's character moves into. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Khan was particularly praised. Later in the year, he portrayed the character of
IagoIago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
in
OmkaraOmkara is a 2006 Indian film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, co-written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. It starred Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles, supported by Vivek Oberoi, Naseeruddin Shah, and Konkona Sen Sharma with a cameo role from Bipasha Basu...
, the Indian adaptation of
William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's
OthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
. Directed by
Vishal BhardwajVishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, screenwriter, music composer and playback singer.-Early life:Bhardwaj was born in Bijnor but raised in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh to Satya Bhardwaj, a homemaker, and Ram Bhardwaj, a popular poet and lyricist. His father was a government employee and...
, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in
Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. The film premiered at the
2006 Cannes Film FestivalThe 2006 Cannes Film Festival ran from May 17, 2006 to May 28, 2006. Twenty films from eleven countries were in competition for the Palme d'Or. The President of the Official Jury was Wong Kar-wai, the first Chinese director to preside over the jury....
and was also selected for screening at the
Cairo International Film FestivalThe Cairo International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cairo, Egypt. It was established in 1976 and was the first international film festival held in the Arab world...
.
Omkara was embraced by critics and Khan went on to receive major acclaim earning the awards for
Best Actor in a Negative Role at the Filmfare, Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies; his performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by
FilmfareFilmfare is an English-language tabloid-sized magazine about Indian cinema. Published by The Times Group, India's largest media services conglomerate, in Mumbai , it highlights the doings of the Bollywood film scene...
.
Variety described his performance as "powerhouse" and further wrote, "It is Khan's movie through and through, in a performance of rugged, contained malevolence which trades on his previous screen persona as a likable best friend as well as his stint as the manipulative outsider in
Being Cyrus. It is smart casting, superbly realized."
In 2007, Khan collaborated once again with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra in the
epic dramaAn epic is a genre of film that emphasizes human drama on a grand scale. Epics are more ambitious in scope than other film genres, and their ambitious nature helps to differentiate them from similar genres such as the period piece or adventure film...
Eklavya: The Royal GuardEklavya: The Royal Guard is a Bollywood film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra which was released in India, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom on 16 February 2007....
, alongside
Amitabh BachchanAmitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
,
Boman IraniBoman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
,
Sharmila TagoreSharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
and
Vidya BalanVidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
. Set in the state of
RajasthanRājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
during the early years of Indian independence, the movie revolves around a jealous and ungrateful ruler who will not let his wife die in peace because she is uttering the name of Eklavya. Although the film did not succeed at the box office, it was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars.
The Full Hyderabad described Khan's performance of Harshwardhan as "sombre and understated," played with a "brooding and contemplative sensibility." He next appeared in the action comedy
Nehlle Pe DehllaNehlle Pe Dehlla is a 2007 Hindi film directed by Ajay D. Chandok, and starring Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu and Kim Sharma. The film was filmed in 2002, even though it premiered on 2 March, 2007...
, a production that had been delayed since 2001. The film garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Khan's role was small, and was not well received. His final release of the year was the family drama,
Ta Ra Rum Pum. Directed by
Siddharth AnandSiddharth Anand is an Indian film director. He is the son of film producer Bittu Anand who produced the Amitabh Bachchan hit, Shahenshah. Anand's grandfather was screenwriter Inder Raj Anand who wrote 120 films including Safar, Sangam and Ek Duje Ke Liye...
, it went on to become an economic success at the box office, earning internationally.
Khan received further success in 2008, starring in the
Abbas-MustanAbbas and Mustan Burmawalla are a Hindi Bollywood director duo. They are known for directing films in the thriller and action genres. They have frequently cast Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol and Akshaye Khanna in their films...
thriller
Race with an ensemble cast including
Anil KapoorAnil Kapoor is an Indian actor and producer who mainly appears in Bollywood films. He won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in Yash Chopra's film Mashaal ....
,
Akshaye KhannaAkshaye Khanna is a critically acclaimed Indian film actor who works in Hindi cinema. Known for his impeccable acting talent and flawless diction, Khanna has worked with the best names in Indian cinema.- Background :...
,
Bipasha BasuBipasha Basu is an Indian actress who mainly appears in Bollywood films. A former model, she was the winner of the Ford's Godrej Cinthol Supermodel contest in 1996.-Early life:...
,
Katrina KaifKatrina Kaif is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry. She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. She was voted the sexiest Asian woman in the world by Eastern Eye in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011...
and
Sameera ReddySameera Reddy is an Indian film actress, primarily working in the Hindi film industry and Tamil industry. Apart from Bollywood, Reddy has also appeared in a number of Telugu, Bengali and Malayalam films.-Early life:...
. The feature was loosely adapted from the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
American filmThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Goodbye LoverGoodbye Lover is a comedic neo-noir film about a murder plot surrounding an alcoholic advertising agency worker and his adulterous wife. The film was directed by Roland Joffé, and stars Patricia Arquette, Dermot Mulroney, Don Johnson, Ellen DeGeneres, and Mary-Louise Parker. The film premiered at...
, and became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning and grossed over abroad. Critic
Rajeev MasandRajeev Masand is an Indian film critic and entertainment reporter for CNN-IBN. Masand started his career as an entertainment correspondent at the young age of 16...
from
CNN-IBN wrote, "Of the cast, Saif Ali Khan stands out as the chap with the least dialogue but the one who makes the best impression." This was followed by three projects produced by Yash Raj Films:
TashanTashan is an Indian Bollywood film starring Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles. Produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra of Yash Raj Films, it was released 25 April 2008, and marked the directorial debut of Vijay Krishna Acharya.- Plot :In the beginning,...
,
Thoda Pyaar Thoda MagicThoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is a 2008 Hindi film with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in lead roles and Rishi Kapoor and Ameesha Patel in special appearances. The child artists include Akshat Chopra, Shriya Sharma, Rachit Sidana and Ayushi Berman...
and
Roadside RomeoRoadside Romeo is a 2008 computer animated musical comedy film written and directed by Jugal Hansraj and co-produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra of Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures...
, all of which were not successful.
Producer and other works, 2009–present
2009 saw Khan branch out into
film producingA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
when he setup his own production company, Illuminati Films, along with Dinesh Vijan. The company's first release was marked by the romantic comedy
Love Aaj KalLove Aaj Kal is a 2009 Bollywood film starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles with Rahul Khanna, Rishi Kapoor and Giselli Monteiro in supporting roles. The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan...
. Directed by
Imtiaz AliImtiaz Ali is an Indian film director, actor and writer. His 2007 film Jab We Met was a huge success in India. His 2009 film Love Aaj Kal was a bigger success and was declared a super-hit by Box Office India.His recent movie Rockstar has been declared successful at the box office.- Early life...
, the film portrays the feeling of pure love which never changes over time, although the perspective of realizing one's soulmate has changed. It received mostly positive reviews by critics and became one of the highest-grossing films of the year. For his portrayal of Jai Vardhan Singh and the younger Veer Singh, Khan went on to receive several
Best Actor nominations at a number of award ceremonies, including Filmfare. A review in
The Economic TimesThe Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...
described his performance as "refreshing natural" and "outstanding". He then starred in the dramatic thriller
KurbaanKurbaan is a Bollywood film directed by Rensil D'Silva and produced by Karan Johar. The film, set against the backdrop of global terrorism, features Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in pivotal roles along with Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Rupinder Nagra, Om Puri and Kirron Kher...
, alongside
Kareena KapoorKareena Kapoor , often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary...
and
Vivek OberoiVivek Oberoi is an Indian actor. He is the son of Bollywood actor Suresh Oberoi and Yashodhara Oberoi.- Early life :Vivek attended Mayo college in Ajmer. At an actors' workshop in London he was spotted by the director of New York University who took Vivek off to New York, where he completed his...
. Produced by
Dharma ProductionsDharma Productions Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian film company founded by Yash Johar in 1976.- Other projects :Dharma Productions and NDTV recently decided to jointly launch an entertainment television channel called NDTV Imagine.- Controversy :...
, the film marked the directorial debut of Rensil D'Silva and featured Khan in the role of a terrorist. Upon release,
Kurbaan was received favourably by critics and Khan's performance was critically acclaimed. Critic
Taran AdarshTaran Adarsh is an Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst. He is also a former producer and screenwriter. He is the son of film director and producer, B.K. Adarsh....
of
Bollywood HungamaBollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....
wrote: "Saif is extra-ordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in
Love Aaj Kal a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in
Kurbaan.
In 2011, he appeared in
Prakash JhaPrakash Jha is an Indian film producer-director-screenwriter, who is most known for his political and socio-political films such as Damul , Mrityudand , Gangaajal , Apaharan and multistarrer hit movie Raajneeti...
's multi-starrer drama
AarakshanAarakshan is a 2011 Hindi film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. Directed by Prakash Jha, the film is a socio-political drama based on the controversial policy of caste based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions...
. Set in the city of
Bhopal,
Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, the film deals with the policy of caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Khan portrayed the character of Deepak Kumar, a rebellious student who joins the mafia. To prepare for the role, Khan was required to take acting workshops along with the rest of the cast.
Prior to its release, the film was banned from releasing in select cities across India due to its controversial subject. While the film received a mixed critical reaction, his performance was generally well-received. As of October 2011, he is currently shooting for the action-thriller
Agent Vinod, as well as Homi Adajania's
CocktailCocktail , also known as Production No. 3, is an upcoming Bollywood romantic comedy film directed by Homi Adajania under Saif Ali Khan's banner Illuminati Films. The film stars Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles, who star in their third film together after Love Aaj Kal and Aarakshan...
, both of which are being produced under his own production company.
Personal life
Khan married actress
Amrita SinghAmrita Singh is an Indian film actress.-Early life:Amrita is the daughter of Rukhsana Sultana. Mohinder Kaur was the daughter of Sir Sobha Singh, who was a noted civil contractor, and made a substantial fortune during the building of New Delhi in the early decades of the 20th century...
in October 1991. After thirteen years of marriage and two children (son Ibrahim Ali Khan and daughter Sara Ali Khan), the couple divorced in 2004. The children live with their mother.
In 1998, Khan was charged with
poachingPoaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
two
blackbuckBlackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
s in Kankani during the filming of
Hum Saath Saath Hain along with co-stars
Salman KhanSalman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...
,
TabuTabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
,
Sonali BendreSonali Bendre is an Indian actress and model. She has mostly starred in Bollywood films but has acted in many Telugu films as well as a number of Marathi, Tamil and Kannada films. She was also one of the four judges in the fourth season of Indian Idol and India's Got Talent...
and
NeelamNeelam Kothari is a former Indian actress and an established jewellery designer.-Film career:After her early childhood in Hong Kong, her family moved to Bangkok and Neelam was holidaying in Mumbai and was approached by Ramesh Behl. She decided to give it a shot and did Jawaani in 1984 alongside...
. The charges were dropped soon after Khan was acquitted.
On 18 February 2007, Khan was hospitalised at
Lilavati HospitalLilavati Hospital and Research Centre is a private hospital located at Bandra in Mumbai, India, established by the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust.-Departments:The hospital has the following departments:* Cardiology* Dermatology* Endocrinology...
, Mumbai due to experiencing chest pain while rehearsing for his performance at the
Stardust AwardsThe Stardust Awards is an award ceremony for Hindi movies, which congratulate the superstars of the new generation who are making an impact on the future. It is sponsored by Stardust magazine.- Background :...
, to be held that night. After hospitalization, he stated he would quit smoking.
Khan has been dating actress
Kareena KapoorKareena Kapoor , often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary...
since October 2007. In October 2009 he publicly spoke of his relationship with Kapoor and the prospect of marriage stating, that in his opinion people said that marriage does not affect one's career but in fact it does and that today the whole definition of marriage has changed. He said, that he and Kareena were so well connected, so close that marriage is just a stamp of validation for the society.
On 22nd September 2011 Khan's father
Mansoor Ali Khan PataudiMansoor Ali Khan or Mansur Ali Khan , sometimes M.A.K. Pataudi , nicknamed Tiger Pataudi, was an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team...
passed away, which led Saif to formally assume the title of 10th
Nawab of PataudiThe term Nawab of Pataudi may refer to any of an Afghan/Pashtun lineage of rulers of the princely Pataudi State in India, but most commonly refers to the 8th Nawab, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who played cricket for both England and India. Both he and his son the 9th Nawab captained the Indian...
. Although the title has no legal or official status after 1971, Saif assumed the title in order to please the sentiments of the villagers. The 'pagri' ceremony was even attended by the incumbent Chief Minister of Haryana.
Other work
In 2005, along with other
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
stars, Khan performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquakeThe 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
.
Khan took part in two major world tours. He was part of a troupe that included
Shahrukh KhanShahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
,
Rani MukerjiRani Mukerji is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies. In the course of her film career, she has received six Filmfare Awards, among twelve nominations....
,
Preity ZintaPreity Zinta is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se in 1998 followed by a role in Soldier the same year...
,
Arjun RampalArjun Rampal , born 26 November 1972, is an award-winning Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films, as well as a fashion model.- Film career :...
and
Priyanka ChopraPriyanka Chopra is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film...
, which went on the
Temptations 2004 world tour. Two years later, he toured again, participating and performing in the
Heat 2006 concert around the world, along with
Akshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
,
Preity ZintaPreity Zinta is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se in 1998 followed by a role in Soldier the same year...
,
Sushmita SenSushmita Sen is an Indian actress who appears in mainly Bollywood films. A former model, Sen was crowned Miss Universe in 1994. She was the first Indian woman to win the contest.-Personal life:Sen was born on 19 November 1975....
and
Celina JaitleyCelina Jiya Jaitley is an Indian actress born in Kabul, Afghanistan. She appears in mainly Bollywood films. As a former beauty queen and model, she was crowned Femina Miss India Universe in 2001.-Early life:...
.
In 2006, Khan appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the Closing Ceremony of the
2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, as part of a performance showcasing Indian culture along with
Rani MukerjiRani Mukerji is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies. In the course of her film career, she has received six Filmfare Awards, among twelve nominations....
, and
Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
on behalf of the
2010 Commonwealth GamesThe 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
, to be held in
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
Filmography
Actor
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1992 |
Parampara Parampara is a 1993 Bollywood movie starring Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Ashwini Bhave, Aamir Khan, Ramya Krishna, Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon, Neelam Kothari and Anupam Kher. The film is produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwala and directed by Yash Chopra. Aditya Chopra wrote the screenplay for the film...
|
Pratap Singh |
|
| 1993 |
Aashiq Awara Aashiq Awara is a 1993 Indian film directed by Umesh Mehra.-Awards and nominations:* Winner, of Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Saif Ali Khan in Filmfare Awards, 1994-Songs:* "Saat Sooron Ke Sangam Se" by Alka Yagnik...
|
Jimmy / Rakesh Rajpal |
Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut |
| 1993 |
Pehchaan - Plot :Judge Jagdish Verma has an accused by the name of Yogi Shankar in his courtroom. Judge Verma was once Yogi's defence lawyer, but now must pass a sentence against him. Yogi pleads his innocence, but the Judge finds him guilty, and Yogi is sentenced to a long term in jail. Yogi swears to...
|
Karan Verma |
|
| 1994 |
Imtihaan Imtihaan is a 1994 Bollywood movie starring Sunny Deol, Raveena Tandon and Saif Ali Khan.- Synopsis :Vicky is a popular singer who meets and falls in love with Priti . He asks her father for her hand in marriage, he instantly approves of him. Priti is reluctant to marry him but she agrees for her...
|
Vicky |
|
| 1994 |
Yeh DillagiYeh Dillagi is a 1994 Bollywood film, produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Naresh Malhotra. It is an adaptation of the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina. It stars Akshay Kumar, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan. Karisma Kapoor has a special appearance. The film was a big success in 1994...
|
Vikram 'Vicky' Saigal |
|
| 1994 |
Main Khiladi Tu Anari Main Khiladi Tu Anari is a 1994 Bollywood film. The film is a remake of the 1991 Hollywood film The Hard Way. The films screenplay is by Sachin Bhowmick...
|
Deepak Kumar |
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1994 |
Yaar Gaddar Yaar Gaddar is a 1994 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Umesh Mehra, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Saif Ali Khan, Somy Ali, Prem Chopra and Umesh Shukla.-Plot:...
|
Jai Verma |
|
| 1994 |
Aao Pyaar Karen |
Raja |
|
| 1995 |
Surakshaa |
Amar / Prince Vijay |
|
| 1996 |
Ek Tha Raja Ek Tha Raja is a 1996 Indian Bollywood film directed by and produced by Ratan Jain. It stars Aditya Pancholi, Saif Ali Khan, Sunil Shetty and Neelam Kothari in pivotal roles.-Cast:* Aditya Pancholi...Raj / Raj Dogra* Saif Ali Khan...Sunny / Sunny Dogra...
|
Sunny |
|
| 1996 |
Bambai Ka Babu Bambai Ka Babu is a 1996 Bollywood action film directed by Vikram Bhatt. It stars Saif Ali Khan, Atul Agnihotri and Kajol.-Plot summary:Born and brought up in a small village, Vikram alias Vicky comes to Bombay - the big city - to find his fortune. He wants to get rich soon, and he does get lucky...
|
Vikram (Vicky) |
|
| 1996 |
Tu Chor Main Sipahi Tu Chor Main Sipahi is a film casting Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu and Pratibha Sinha in the lead roles. It was released on May 10, 1996 and is directed by Guddu Dhanoa. The screenplay has been written by Robert Henry...
|
Raja / King |
|
| 1996 |
Dil Tera Diwana Dil Tera Diwana is a 1996 Indian Bollywood film directed by Lawrence D'Souza and produced by Pahlaj Nihalani. It stars Saif Ali Khan and Twinkle Khanna in pivotal roles.-Cast:* Saif Ali Khan...Ravi Kumar* Twinkle Khanna...Komal...
|
Ravi Kumar |
|
| 1997 |
Hamesha Hamesha English: Forever) is a Hindi romance movie written and directed by Sanjay Gupta. The film stars Kajol, Saif Ali Khan and Aditya Pancholi in the lead roles. Aruna Irani and Kader Khan have supporting roles in the film. The film explores reincarnation.- Synopsis :Raja and Yash Vardhan are...
|
Raja / Raju |
|
| 1997 |
Udaan |
Raja |
|
| 1998 |
Keemat: They Are Back Keemat is a Bollywood action film directed by Sameer Malkan and produced by brothers Ganesh Jain and Ramesh Jain. It stars Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon and Sonali Bendre. Anupam Kher and Ravi Kishen have supporting roles...
|
Ajay |
|
| 1998 |
Humse Badhkar Kaun |
Sunny |
|
| 1999 |
Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri JaanMumbai Meri Jaan is a 2008 Hindi film directed by Nishikant Kamat and produced by Ronnie Screwvala. It stars R. Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Irrfan Khan, Paresh Rawal and Kay Kay Menon. It deals with the aftermath of the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings, where 209 people lost their lives and over...
|
Raju Tarachand |
|
| 1999 |
Kachche Dhaage Kachche Dhaage is a 1999 Hindi action thriller film directed by Milan Luthria and starring Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film, which features Devgan as a smuggler, delivering goods across the Rajasthan-Pakistan border, was filmed in the deserts of Rajasthan and in Switzerland...
|
Dhananjay "Jai" Pandit |
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1999 |
AarzooAarzoo is a Bollywood film released in 1999. The movie directed by Lawrence D'Souza stars Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit, Saif Ali Khan, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal and Reema Lagoo. The film was primarily filmed in Mumbai but some scenes were filmed in London and Edinburgh.-Plot:Dayashankar is a...
|
Amar |
|
| 1999 |
Biwi No.1 Biwi No.1 is a 1999 Bollywood comedy film directed by David Dhawan. The film stars Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Anil Kapoor and Tabu. Saif Ali Khan has a special appearance in the film. It is remake of the 1995 Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi...
|
Deepak |
|
| 1999 |
Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United Hum Saath-Saath Hain : We Stand United is a 1999 Indian film written and directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya. The film was distributed by the home production of Sooraj Barjatya, Rajshri Productions. The film stars Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Mohnish Behl...
|
Vinod |
|
| 2000 |
Kya Kehna-Awards:* Filmfare Best Story Award - Honey Irani* IIFA Award for Technical Excellence - Best Screenplay - Farhan Akhtar* Sansui Best Actress Award - Preity Zinta...
|
Rahul Modi |
|
| 2001 |
Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega is a 2001 Bollywood comedy directed by E. Nivas. It is a very loose remake of the Coen brothers' 1996 film Fargo.-Cast:* Saif Ali Khan - Prakash* Fardeen Khan - Rahul Kapoor...
|
Rahul Kapoor |
|
| 2001 |
Dil Chahta HaiDil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
|
Sameer |
Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role |
| 2001 |
Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein is a 2001 Indian film directed by Gautham Menon starring Madhavan, Diya Mirza in the lead roles & Saif Ali Khan in the supporting role. It was a remake of the popular Tamil film Minnale which also starred Madhavan in the lead...
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Rajiv "Sam" Saamra |
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| 2002 |
Na Tum Jaano Na Hum Na Tum Jaano Na Hum is a 2002 Bollywood romance film starring Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Esha Deol. The film is directed by Arjun Sablok. Despite a strong star cast the film failed at the box office just because of its slow pace...
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Akshay |
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| 2003 |
Darna Mana Hai Darna Mana Hai is a Bollywood Anthology film, released on 25 July 2003. It was considered a unique and innovative attempt by producer Ram Gopal Varma and director Prawal Raman to provide Indian audiences with a horror film which consists of six different short stories...
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Anil Manchandani |
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| 2003 |
Kal Ho Naa HoKal Ho Naa Ho is a 2003 Hindi film set in New York City. It stars Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan and Jaya Bachchan. The film was directed by first-timer Nikhil Advani, it was produced by Yash Johar and co-written by Karan Johar, better known as the director of the hit films Kuch Kuch...
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Rohit Patel |
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
Filmfare Award for Motorola "Moto Look of the Year" |
| 2003 |
LOC Kargil LOC Kargil is a 2003 Bollywood war film based on the Kargil War, directed and written by J. P. Dutta. The film stars a large number of Bollywood stars.- Plot :The film is an attempt to dramatize a synopsis of the 1999 Kargil War ....
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Capt. Anuj Nayyar Captain Anuj Nayyar was an officer of the 17 Jat Regiment of the Indian Army, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for exemplary valour in combat during operations in the Kargil War in 1999.He was born to a Punjabi Khatri family and grew up in...
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| 2004 |
Ek Hasina Thi Ek Hasina Thi is a 2004 Indian psychological thriller film noir by Sriram Raghavan, produced by Ram Gopal Varma, and starring Urmila Matondkar and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. The screenplay was by Sriram Raghavan and Pooja Ladha Surti...
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Karan Singh Rathod |
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| 2004 |
Hum TumHum Tum is a Bollywood movie, released in India on 28 May 2004, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra. The movie stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles....
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Karan Kapoor |
National Film Award for Best Actor The National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role |
| 2005 |
ParineetaParineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
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Shekhar Rai |
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor |
| 2005 |
Salaam NamasteThe film has seven songs composed by the duo Vishal-Shekhar. The music of the film released on 10 August 2005. The music includes four songs and two remixes.-External links:*...
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Nikhil "Nick" Arora |
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| 2006 |
Being Cyrus Being Cyrus is an English language Indian film directed by Homi Adajania and released in 2006. It is a psychological drama revolving around a dysfunctional Parsi family...
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Cyrus Mistry |
English English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
film |
| 2006 |
Omkara Omkara is a 2006 Indian film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, co-written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. It starred Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles, supported by Vivek Oberoi, Naseeruddin Shah, and Konkona Sen Sharma with a cameo role from Bipasha Basu...
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Ishwar "Langda" Tyagi |
Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role |
| 2007 |
Eklavya: The Royal GuardEklavya: The Royal Guard is a Bollywood film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra which was released in India, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom on 16 February 2007....
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Harshwardhan |
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| 2007 |
Nehlle Pe Dehlla Nehlle Pe Dehlla is a 2007 Hindi film directed by Ajay D. Chandok, and starring Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu and Kim Sharma. The film was filmed in 2002, even though it premiered on 2 March, 2007...
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Jimmy |
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| 2007 |
Ta Ra Rum Pum |
Rajveer Singh (RV) |
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| 2007 |
Om Shanti Om |
Himself |
Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi" |
| 2008 |
Race |
Ranvir "Ronnie" Singh |
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| 2008 |
Tashan Tashan is an Indian Bollywood film starring Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles. Produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra of Yash Raj Films, it was released 25 April 2008, and marked the directorial debut of Vijay Krishna Acharya.- Plot :In the beginning,...
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Jimmy Cliff |
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| 2008 |
Woodstock Villa Woodstock Villa is a 2008 Indian musical thriller directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by Sanjay Gupta and Ekta Kapoor. It features newcomers Sikandar Kher, Neha Oberoi and Arbaaz Khan in the primary roles while Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani and Anupama Verma essay...
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Himself |
Special appearance |
| 2008 |
Thoda Pyaar Thoda MagicThoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is a 2008 Hindi film with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in lead roles and Rishi Kapoor and Ameesha Patel in special appearances. The child artists include Akshat Chopra, Shriya Sharma, Rachit Sidana and Ayushi Berman...
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Ranbeer Talwar |
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| 2008 |
Roadside RomeoRoadside Romeo is a 2008 computer animated musical comedy film written and directed by Jugal Hansraj and co-produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra of Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures...
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Romeo |
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| 2009 |
Sanam Teri Kasam Sanam Teri Kasam is a Hindi language film starring Saif Ali Khan, Pooja Bhatt and Atul Agnihotri, released in 2009 but produced in 1994.-Plot:...
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Vijay Verma |
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| 2009 |
Love Aaj KalLove Aaj Kal is a 2009 Bollywood film starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles with Rahul Khanna, Rishi Kapoor and Giselli Monteiro in supporting roles. The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan...
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Jai Vardhan Singh /
Young Veer Singh |
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor |
| 2009 |
Kurbaan Kurbaan is a Bollywood film directed by Rensil D'Silva and produced by Karan Johar. The film, set against the backdrop of global terrorism, features Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in pivotal roles along with Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Rupinder Nagra, Om Puri and Kirron Kher...
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Ehsaan Khan / Khalid |
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| 2011 |
Aarakshan Aarakshan is a 2011 Hindi film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. Directed by Prakash Jha, the film is a socio-political drama based on the controversial policy of caste based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions...
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Deepak Kumar |
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| 2012 |
Agent Vinod |
Agent Vinod |
Filming |
| 2012 |
Cocktail Cocktail , also known as Production No. 3, is an upcoming Bollywood romantic comedy film directed by Homi Adajania under Saif Ali Khan's banner Illuminati Films. The film stars Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles, who star in their third film together after Love Aaj Kal and Aarakshan...
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Filming |
| 2012 |
Race 2 Race 2 is an upcoming Indian action thriller film to be directed by Abbas-Mustan and produced under the Tips Music Films banner. It is the sequel to the 2008 hit film, Race, starring an ensemble cast that includes Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, and...
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Ranvir "Ronnie" Singh |
Filming |
Producer
| Year |
Film |
Notes |
| 2009 |
Love Aaj Kal |
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Movie |
| 2012 |
Agent Vinod |
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| 2012 |
Cocktail |
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External links