'It Wasn't My Time To Go'

'Maybe I'm meant to do a few more good films, have some more nice times with family and friends, do some more charity.'

Saif Ali Khan is excited about his brand new movie, Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, where he shares the screen with 'perhaps the most impressive actor' Jaideep Ahlawat.

Putting his horrifying attack firmly behind him, Saif looks ahead and tells Subhash K Jha, "When we did Sacred Games, it was for people to aspire to watch us. In Jewel Thief, we are making it simple for them but with scale and style." 

You were recently shooting in Mandwa, near Alibaug. Tell us about the project.

I'm doing a patriotic period piece about a driven and passionate man, who organises India's first general election.

It's got a lovely feel in time and place, and quite dramatic and emotionally uplifting.

Rahul Dholakia and I talked a lot, and so much of what we spoke about is in the script.

You will next be seen in Netflix's heist thriller Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins.

Jewel Thief is a fun caper, double cross, heist film.

It has scale and pace and should be a fun ride.

It's a father-son drama at its core.

What was it like working with Jaideep Ahlawat?

Jaideep is perhaps the most impressive actor I have worked with in recent times.

I've learned a lot from him.

Jewel Thief reunites you with Siddharth Anand, who directed you in films like Ta Ra Rum Pum and Salaam Namaste.

Sid is a big movie-maker, so it was fun to do that with him.

In his last avatar, we were doing very stylish rom coms.

He always wanted to do action. He tried to stay away but couldn't help putting something of himself in the film.

You were one of the pioneers of the Indian OTT, having scored success with Sacred Games. Do you think the platform has evolved over the years?

I think the platform is trying to get more and more accessible to Indian thinking, more commercial as well as basic.

When we did Sacred Games, it was for people to aspire to watch us.

In Jewel Thief, we are making it simple for them but with scale and style.

Netflix is so respectable as a platform, the whole world watches it. It's fab to be on it.

What are your other projects?

I play a blind guy in Priyadarshan's next film.

You and your family went through a terribly traumatic experience recently. What is your takeaway from that?

Lock doors and be careful!

We have a lot and a lot have not.

So while I am grateful, we must understand that and be careful.

Lock things. Block access points. Smarten up security.

It's sad.

I never believed in security, hate to have people around me. But it needs to be there for a while at least.

It must have shaken you up.

It wasn't my time to go.

Maybe I'm meant to do a few more good films, have some more nice times with family and friends, do some more charity.