Saif Ali Khan: If you look up Bollywood, you'll see Shah Rukh Khan

Saif Ali Khan stars in the new crime thriller film, Kartavya, which had a Netflix release on May 15. The film is produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, and Saif opened up about his long-standing admiration for the superstar. He praised SRK’s passion, confidence and work ethics that built his legacy.

Speaking to IndiaToday, Saif reflected on SRK’s journey from an ambitious outsider to the face of Bollywood. “What I admire about him is his energy, his drive, and his love for cinema. Also, how he has the vision, approach, confidence, and clarity of thought right from the beginning. He wasn’t weighed down by convention or niceties,” he said.

'SRK built his empire solely on conviction'

According to him, SRK's self-belief is reflected in every aspect of his career, including how he negotiated his worth with major production houses.

“And then he asked for the kind of money, at the time. I feel conscious telling these stories, but it was a phenomenal ask with big production houses. He said, ‘I’m completely worth it, and I have the best body language of any actor in India," Saif said.

The Hum Tum actor said it was this unwavering conviction that helped SRK create the empire he has today. “There were these comments made, and this very strong belief. So I admire that, what he made of himself and how he created a phenomenal empire. He’s hugely, hugely successful and has defined an entire — well — more than a generation.”

He further added that when someone looks up Bollywood, they would see a picture of him in the dictionary, and there's no bigger achievement than that.

'Can do a whole podcast on SRK’

The actor also fondly remembered the many award shows they hosted together, including the IIFA and Filmfare awards, revealing how SRK would constantly work on improving scripts and segments. “Yes, we hosted a lot of shows together. He would say, ‘You know, this stuff is a bit boring. Let’s write it this way,’ and then be up all night rewriting the script. He would work on it again, and again. That's passion,” Saif recalled.

He even hinted that there’s much more he could say about SRK’s process behind the scenes. Saif laughed and added that he could even have a podcast just talking about the Badshah, and how he's different from others.

‘Working with SRK in Kal Ho Naa Ho prepped me to become a lead actor’

The Kartavya actor took a stroll down the memory lane and recalled working with King Khan in Kal Ho Naa Ho, calling it a learning experience that shaped his own understanding of stardom and leadership on set. He said, “It was entirely my privilege to have the chance to work with him in Kal Ho Naa Ho, in such a nice role. And it kind of prepped me on how to be the main lead in a movie because I saw all the very extra things he does."

Recalling a hectic shoot at Grand Central Terminal in New York, Saif remembered how SRK effortlessly stepped in and took charge when things became chaotic.

“I think Karan was a bit overwhelmed when we were shooting at Grand Central Station in New York, and it was crowded. And he (SRK) said, ‘Okay, hang on. You do this, you do that, let's place the camera here'. He just took control, and we finished it in time," the actor said.

For Saif, it is this passion for cinema, especially the unseen work behind the scenes, that truly separates Shah Rukh Khan from everyone else.

Kartavya follows Pawan, played by Saif, a police officer who comes under scrutiny after a journalist is shot while under his watch. As pressure mounts from his senior officers, he is drawn into a manhunt for the attacker, which pulls him into a web of power, influence, and deception.

The film is currently streaming on Netflix.