Saif Ali Khan is possibly one of the first A-list Bollywood stars to make a transition to the digital platform. With Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane’s adaptation of Sacred Games set to stream in July, the actor is gearing up for the big launch. The first teaser, which was unveiled recently, has been widely appreciated.
We caught up with the Nawab of Pataudi who spoke to us at length about the show, which is based on Vikram Chandra’s bestseller by the same name. Saif says, “The series will be made in four parts as it’s a 1,000-page book and we’ve only got through one-third of it now. We begin shooting for the next season in September. Each season will have eight episodes, so overall, the series will have 32 episodes.”
He is visibly happy as he will be occupied with the web series till 2020. Saif smiles and adds, “Yes, we should be out with one season every year, if that’s the way ahead.”
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
The actor-producer admits that shooting for the show has been quite distinct from his films. He reveals, “It has been trippy because we filmed live at locations and Mumbai is so cinematic. If you go to a public toilet, you will be screaming, ‘Where am I?’ but you can capture that in a scene. I’m hoping people see a lot of locations in Sacred Games which no film could show because we could get in there with our equipment.”
In order to play the role of a Sikh cop convincingly, Saif also stayed at the Punjab Society in Mumbai. “It was someone else’s house where I did everything that I don’t usually do in my life. Streaming services should be like this — something as crazy as a Fargo where you get to do a role which is beyond what you get to do in films. It’s a one-on-one interaction with the viewers,” he elaborates.
The actor, who was last seen on the big screen earlier this year in the black comedy Kaalakaandi, states that he agreed to do Sacred Games as he wanted to derive creative satisfaction. He explains, “There are four mediums that an actor can explore — theatre, TV, which has too much pressure because of sponsors and it has its own limitations, cinema that should be a 70mm experience although sometimes, it’s not and web series. You can watch digital shows anytime anywhere — on your phone, computer, TV or even on the big screen. It’s an opportunity for an actor to showcase their talent, but it’s gotta be slightly crazy. It has to be like a graphic novel, maybe a little more artistic than films and TV. Why else would you do it? Money isn’t the answer, creativity is.”
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 "Saif Ali Khan")
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