"Acting is an Inherently Competitive Space": Saif Ali Khan on Facing Competition With Co-Stars

Saif Ali Khan, who was recently seen in Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, shared his views on the evolution of a 'hero', and pointed out the radical shift in audience expectations and the overall narrative. Speaking about the evolution of 'hero', Saif stated, "While it (the idea of heroism) may not have changed completely, it has certainly broadened in the way that you find heroic things in even things that flawed people do and that’s more interesting.” He adds, "I’m happy it’s happening because it’s a sign of evolution of character and audience."

The Jewel Thief actor adds further that layered characters carry a much deeper capability to connect with the audience. “None of us are perfect in our lives, we all have good moments and bad moments, and if you can capture those things, it makes it so much more powerful than having a one-note kind of character who’s like this godlike angel who never does anything wrong, which is how it’s been in the West and with us, but now it’s changing.”

“It hits you so much harder if a hero does something that is not his finest moment like if snaps at his son, or does something which is ‘so human’, you don’t get to see it so often (on screen). It kind of moves us on a different level. And, it’s great that it’s happening,” he adds.

Considering that Saif has shared the screen space with renowned and established actors, he opined about facing competition on the set. “The most important thing is the film. So on that level there’s no competition because you’re just happy the other person’s there and everyone’s contributing beautifully to the film,” he shared, and also acknowledged that acting is an inherently competitive space where characters compete for importance. While explaining the competitive spirit, Saif considered that the spirit is not destructive, undermining or insecure, or dangerous.

“There might have been times where I’ve felt (competitive), insecure…we’re all humans, and the profession is like that as well, but in this case particularly and in most cases it’s the film first and like I said competing for your character’s importance," he concluded and also appreciated his Jewel Thief co-star Jaideep Ahlawat. 

Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan stunned everyone by returning to the thrilling space with Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins. The actor played a suave con man in his quest to grab hold of the elusive diamond. This time too, the actor received rave reviews for his portrayal. Now, his fans are keen to know what he has next in the pipeline!