I’d love to do something at a global level: Saif

It’s fantastic that people have liked it,” says an elated Saif Ali Khan about his first web series, Sacred Games. Not only the series, but his nuanced act is also being praised by audiences and critics alike.

Saif is among the first top stars to experiment with a fullfledged web show. The actor, who just returned from London, talks about his recent success, and more.

Did you anticipate this level of response to the series?

We always hope for the best and worry about the worst. It’s a nice feeling and a beautiful experience working with the streaming service. The makers, Vikramaditya (Motwane) and Anurag Kashyap, have got it right. It’s pretty high quality stuff. People are also talking on the level which is more global about an Indian show.

This makes me feel that I’ve understood my job and can do it on a globally acceptable level, which is quite cool.

Being a film star, were you imageconscious or sceptical at first?

Being the kind of person that I am, at a point I did wonder if this [should] had been a movie, because I didn’t know how many people would watch it [on the web]. Those are the normal apprehensions one has.

[But] my management agency was strong in their recommendation, because they saw the potential in this. People around me supported the idea and that helped. My only fear was whether we’d be able to pull it off. It was never doubting the medium, because it’s huge anywhere. There has to be something that differentiates these shows from TV and movies — to identify what that is, is a little tricky. It was a great platform to be on, not worried about the risk at all.

It’s an exciting phase for actors…

You have to decide where you want to work. There are different markets for different people. India is a diverse market. I’ve had a great time in this industry. But the entertainment world is becoming smaller. There’s a lot of crossover stuff happening.

Are you now looking at working in international productions?

I’d love to do something international. This is an interesting position. Bollywood movies are not for everyone... in the sense, Indians obviously love our movies and the Middle East loves our movies. But the West has always viewed it as a little different from their taste.

So if the style of acting [in Sacred Games] is being called international, I’m happy about it. That’s a proud feeling and an achievement in itself. [I give] 100% credit to the makers.

How was your recent trip to London?

It has been a really nice summer vacation. Taimur has really enjoyed and we’ve spent some quality time with him. My mornings would be with Taimur; afternoon to oneself; and evenings would be nice dinner with friends. It’s been quite a healthy trip.

Saif Ali Khan is proud of his new web series