The latest episode of Koffee With Karan screamed royalty. After all, it featured veteran actress Sharmila Tagore and her son, actor Saif Ali Khan. From Saif's childhood mischiefs to Sharmila Tagore's “Putra Moh”, the episode was a hit. During one of the segments, Saif opened up about his initial days in the industry. It all started when Karan Johar asked Saif why he was dropped from Bekhudi. Sharing insights into how director Rahul Rawail replaced him in the 1992 film, Saif said, “Well, actually Rahul Rawail had signed Kamal Sadanah first. And then replaced him with me, thinking perhaps that this kind of casting is a little… I did not want to blame him. Perhaps, he did chuck me out of the movie because he found my attitude… And he said, ‘You are quite good. People will think it's because you are not good. But it's because I want you to be more committed and more professional.' Which I think I was, but he did not think so.” FYI: Bekhudi marked Kajol's Boll
“There were a couple of offers. And they kind of dried up, after this obviously. And Rahul Rawail told me. He said, ‘This is it. Nobody is going to work with you.' And he was a bit sadistic, I must say. Because he kind of enjoyed that,” Saif Ali Khan added. To this, Sharmila Tagore added that she even tried to convince Rahul Rawail but he had already made the decision.
Saif Ali Khan added how the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra offered him a role in the iconic film Parampara. He said, “And then Yash Chopra ji called me over. He said, ‘I have heard you are very naughty. Are you? You got to give me your word.' And he was casting Parampara and there were a lot of people in the movie. It was a huge multi-starrer. For the role, he was not finding someone. And he met me and he said, ‘You promise to be good.' That was pretty much it. I said, ‘Of course, I promise. I will be.' And he [Yash Chopra] said, ‘Ok. You are in the movie.' And overnight offers started. You know how it is if Yash Chopra is casting you. The same people who had said, ‘No, we are not interested,' were very interested. He saved me and we had a great time shooting with him.”
Saif Ali Khan has worked in some of the superhit films including Hum Tum, Race, Tashan, Cocktail, and Love Aaj Kal.