Female Producer Orders Saif Ali Khan Ten Kiss Scenes

Bollywood can be like walking a tightrope, and Saif Ali Khan knows it well. Despite being the son of top actress Sharmila Tagore, his entry into films in 1993 wasn’t easy. He started with second and third lead roles, taking whatever work came his way. Early in his career, he was even paid Rs 1000 a week by a producer who asked him to kiss her cheek ten times each time he received the money.

Saif recently said that his career felt difficult despite the advantages. “We didn’t have the family background that made us a certain kind of movie star,” he said. “Our training was to be self-conscious, quiet, self-deprecating… not the larger-than-life persona that actors in the nineties were expected to have.” Many of his early films were forgettable, though some helped him stay afloat.

Married at 21 and a father by 25, Saif had to support his family with consistent work. He recalled how people thought he was lucky, but in reality, he was navigating small roles and awkward projects to get a break in the movie industry. His mother often pushed him to choose roles he was excited about, questioning when he would take his craft seriously and aim for higher roles to become a big league.

Over time, Saif found his footing with films like the youth-filled friendship movie Dil Chahta Hai and the action movie Omkara. Saif Ali Khan revived his career with Sacred Games and is now a versatile Bollywood star.