Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor fly to Swiss for New Year eve

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Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor have left for Switzerland for a ten-day holiday to celebrate the New Year.

The lovers leave for Swiss Alps every year as it happens to be their favourite holiday destination. Saif loves to ski and Bebo loves the natural beauty of the place.

Moreover, the couple would check in at an eco-friendly, 300-year-old chalet that runs on solar energy, we hear. Apart from the spectacular view of the scenery, the chalet also provides privacy and basic comforts for any couple.

We wish a Happy New Year to Saif and Bebo.

Saif credits Amitabh for his Bollywood foray

Even though Saif Ali Khan is veteran actress Sharmila Tagore’s son, the actor says he joined the Indian film industry chiefly because of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

The 40-year-old actor is all set to work with Amitabh in Prakash Jha’s next Aarakshan. This is the second time that both the actors will share screen space after the 2007 film ’Eklavya: The Royal Guard’

’I joined films pretty much because of Amitji so it’s always an absolute honour to work with him and I’m glad I got another opportunity to get associated with him,’ said Saif .

Big B too was elated to know about Saif’s thoughts and revealed that he felt honoured after hearing what Saif had to say.

’I have worked with Saif in Eklavya, that was my first association with him. I am really honoured and privileged to know that he feels that I was in someway responsible for his entry into this film industry. I’m delighted to work with him again,’ said the 68-year-old star.

Amitabh also remembered some of the moments that he spent with Saif.

’Today, I remember one of the very old moments. Saif was six-seven years old and he had visited my sets when I was shooting a song in Filmcity. Sharmila ji, his mother, said that he wanted to be with me and see the shooting.

’He was a very confused looking youngster then, who stood at the top of the hill, sitting on a rock all by himself and watching the shooting. From then on I have watched him grow so brilliantly to a fine actor with a lot of variety in every performance,’ revealed the actor.

Aarakshan also stars Deepika Padukone, Prateik and Manoj Bajpayee and will go on floor Jan 15. It is based on policies of caste based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.

Saif Ali Khan is set to act in Biographical character

Saif Ali Khan is all set to play his first biographical character in Siddharth Anand’s “2 States”, a film adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s book, based on his own real-life experience, of a Punjabi boy who wants to marry his Tamil sweetheart but only with the consent of both their parents.

Saif is expected to spend time with Chetan Bhagat to understand his character, Krish, and get into Krish’s mind. In real life too, Saif is all set to get into a cross-cultural marriage and “2 States” will be quite a learning curve for him.

Bhagat would like to exercise a more close vigil over the casting of the protagonists than he did in his novels’ other movie adaptations like “Hello” (”One Night At The Call Centre”) and “3 Idiots” (”5 Point Someone”). In both these cases Bhagat had no say. And he liked it that way.

Saif Ali Khan says he has no plans to act in Hollywood films

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan says he has no plans to uproot himself to go and work in Hollywood movies.

“Not really. I think they are very serious about how they make movies. You have to go and set up a base, start from the scratch about how to speak, how to act. You have to struggle and start all over again,” Saif said when he was here for an event.

“I am quite happy where I am today and not try to uproot myself by working in Hollywood. I would rather concentrate more and more on being successful in my own field,” he added.

The 40-year-old was here to participate in the celebrations of Taj Enlighten Film Society, which has been validated as India’s largest film society by the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI).

Saif is currently busy producing his home production “Agent Vinod” and wishes to make international style movies in future.

“I’d like to make films like ‘Omkara’, ‘Parineeta’. We are actually meeting up people in Mumbai to bring in new talent and make international style of cinema. I’ll try to make films that are not only successful in monetary terms but also give us creative satisfaction,” he said.

Saif Ali Khan talks about Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman

Actor Saif Ali Khan says he is not in competition with the three other Khans of Bollywood - Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman. He is happy with the position he has in the industry and adds that he has “a long way to go”.

“They have worked in iconic and more successful films. Aamir’s debut movie ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ was a superhit, Salman’s ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ was also a superhit, Shah Rukh’s done equally good. I am really happy with the position where I am,” Saif told reporters here Friday.

“I look forward to doing better films and rising up to that position, but they are senior to me and have worked in great films. They completely deserve the position they are in. I have a lot of respect for them,” he said.

The actor was speaking at the Epicentre Auditorium in Apparel House, Gurgaon to join celebrations with the Taj Enlighten Film Society, which has been validated as India’s Largest Film Society by the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI).

Although Saif has carved a niche for himself in the industry, he says he has a long way to go.

“I think I do have a niche. I think I have the saleability, I have the ability to roll a project as a producer as well as the lead actor, which in itself is substantially satisfying achievement. But am I satisfied with the depth of the niche? No, of course not. I want it to be much deeper, work harder. I have a long way to go. Work is in progress.”

The actor is now busy with his first production venture spy thriller “Agent Vinod”, which also stars Kareena Kapoor in the lead.

“It is a very basic story. We are working hard on it and trying to take the action and the drama to another level,” he said.

After “Omkara”, he is again in talks with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj to star in his new film.

“I am looking forward to working with Vishal Bhardwaj. We are on the verge of finalising things,” he added.

Saif gets new look

Saif avoided cameras and paparazzi pictures until his departure to Morocco this week in order to avoid giving away his Agent Vinod look.

But man proposes, Aamir disposes. Aamir insisted that Saif make it to the party at his home last weekend, thereby blowing the whistle on Saif’s carefully-concealed look.

On the eve of his departure to Morocco for the shooting of his second home production Agent Vinod, Saif Ali Khan, completely revamped his look and went into hiding until he left the country.

According to close friends, Saif was apprehensive about the exposure of his special makeover in as Agent Vinod. He has lost oodles of weight changed his hairstyle, and redesigned his entire body language to play a lean spy.

A friend of Saif says, “If Shahid Kapoor in his dad’s film Mausam has modelled his look on Tom Cruise in Top Gun, Saif’s role model for Agent Vinod is Matt Damon in Bourne Identity.”

The special hair styling done by Aalim Hakim, clipping off the long tresses that Saif was lately seen sporting, had been planned for six months. Saif wanted to delay the haircut until the final moment before his departure to Morocco.

Besides that Saif has been working out frantically and toning his muscles to look sinewy, agile and panther- like.

While Saif remained inaccessible for any questions on his makeover for Agent Vinod (he probably thinks even talking about it would invite copycats) his ladylove Kareena Kapoor, willingly and proudly spilled the beans. “Saif has never looked cooler. He has lost 9 kilos in three months. He’s all toned and rippling muscles now. He had long hair for so long that I had forgotten how dashing he looks in cropped hair. Saif has got his hair cropped really short, that’s all I can tell you about his Agent Vinod look. He got it done a couple of days back. Since then he was reluctant to step out of his house. ”

So frightened was Saif of revealing his new look that he refused to show it even to his own parents. Only Kareena had the privilege of seeing Saif’s madeover avatar. Until Aamir’s party.

“And that too only because I’ll see how he looks anyway because I’m his co-star,” laughs Kareena, adding that her look in Agent Vinod would also be unique.

“Aki Nirula is doing my look for Agent Vinod. I don’t think I’ve ever looked the way I would in Agent Vinod. As for Saif, he looks like a Hollywood star for the film. I can’t take my eyes off him.”

Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan returns leg-pulling hosts at Filmfare

Last to last year, when Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan took the stage to host the Filmfare Awards dressed in mere towels on their torsos and face-packs on their mugs, they pulled up everyone from their peers, colleagues and even critics.

The swashbuckling duo returns this month as the leg-pulling hosts once again for the 55th Filmfare Awards, slated for February 27, at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri.

We hear that this time also SRK-Saif are going to take funny potshots and jabs at many a film celeb. Will they also give out the Na-real awards, a la the Razzies, this year?

A source says SRK and Saif are coming up with an entirely fresh skit this year. Expect the unexpected.

Well, we don’t mind as long as they stay within their clothes.

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Actor Saif Ali Khan would pose as a problem in future

Hardly our Chote Nawab would have thought that his hunting adventure few years back, would pose as a problem in future.

Recently Saif Ali Khan was awarded with Padma Shri. However his achievement was not appreciated by certain people in Rajasthan. It is reported that the Bishnoi community and wildlife activists are quite angry for honouring Saif with such prestigious award.

Remember the ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ days? The film’s cast including Saif and Salman entered the bad books of Jodhpur for alleged killings of black bucks during the shooting. Now the people of the state who still sentimentally harbours the incident said to be approaching the Union government to take back Saif’s Award. Besides, the Bishnoi Tiger Vanyajeev Evam Paryavaran Sansthan (BTVPS) said that they will soon appeal to the President and the Prime Minister protesting against the decision. People for Animals have also expressed similar agitation.

According to them, the decision is hurting the dignity of the award as well as the spirit of the other deserving recipients.

Hmmm, a case of old wounds….

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Some factors in KURBAAN that made shoot difficult-Saif Ali Khan

Time and again, actors are heard stating that working on a particular film was akin to having a picnic. However, Saif Ali Khan denies that KURBAAN shoot was anywhere close to being a picnic. Instead, he and Kareena Kapoor went through some depressing times due to weather in America as well as the period of turmoil that India was going through during the shoot of Rensil D’Souza directed KURBAAN.

"KURBAAN was hard work. Period. In fact Philadelphia schedule was plain hell. It wasn’t anything like a picnic shooting for the film", shudders Saif who is glad that the film is completed and is now ready for release.

Explaining the factors that made KURBAAN shoot difficult, Saif says, "It gets dark there at 4 PM itself. Moreover, it’s so cold and at -10 degrees, it can actually get really depressing. Since we were shooting in synch sound, it was extremely difficult to get the pitch and tone right while delivering our dialogues."

It was during the shoot of the film that Saif and Kareena got the news around the terror attack which naturally upset them further. "Due to this reason, it was so difficult to concentrate on the film’s shoot. Thankfully Bebo (Kareena Kapoor) was there with me at that time but still, both of us were very depressed", says Saif.

Since it was quite cold in Philadelphia, Saif and Kareena were required to wear layers of clothing. Later, for continuity purpose, they had to wear the same clothes in the summer of Mumbai. Other than the mental and environmental constraints, Saif and others also had a hard time adjusting to the locations that were chosen for the film’s shoot.

"We were shooting in a tube and that’s anything but fun", he remembers, "We had to shoot a subway sequences but being in a tube for hours at stretch is like being in an underground prison. Really, it is very disorienting. Who says shooting for a film is like being in a picnic? KURBAAN certainly wasn’t one."

When asked to name one film which he considers as a picnic, Saif is quick to name Abbas-Mustan directed RACE.

"Now that’s what I call as a real picnic", he says with a glee on his face, "Doing the film was quite easy since working hours were quite comfortable while locations were nice, easy and comfortable It was really simple work and I enjoyed a lot. It was really entertaining to drive fast cars, saying cool lines, be a hero and stuff alike. On the other hand, KURBAAN has me playing this complicated character which only makes it further difficult for an actor."

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Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Manish Malhotras Movie

Designer Manish Malhotra has been planning to direct his debut venture for quite some time now. The latest buzz is that he is planning to cast Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles. Karan Johar will produce the film and it will go on the floors by the middle of next year.

When contacted, the hotshot designer said: “Yes I am going to direct a film for Dharma Productions and it is going to be a commercial venture. It is a very emotional subject and I don’t want anyone else to direct the film. Nothing else has been planned as yet. There’s still time to decided the cast and crew as it will go on the floors next year.”

For now, Manish is busy with a number of high-profile design assignments for films. “I have Shankar’s Robot which is an extravagant film. It has a tribal look and it’s a fun film. Then there’s Sohail Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna and Anthony D’Souza’s Blue,” said Manish.

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