On Sara Ali Khan’s birthday, here’s how she handled questions on dad Saif, Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Singh
Sara Ali Khan, who turned a year older on Monday, made her debut in 2018 with Kedarnath. Barely two films’ old, the actor is a picture of grace and wisdom as her quotes on family members show.
Actor Saif Ali Khan’s daughter Sara Ali Khan has been a ‘star in the waiting’ for a long time, with many in the industry speculating about her Bollywood debut from the time she was a teenager. She finally made her debut with Kedarnath in 2018.
With two generations of actors in her family, taking to acting was only expected of her. Her paternal grandmother is the celebrated actor, Sharmila Tagore, her dad Saif is a competent actor while Amrita Singh is a feisty actor of the 1980s. Sara, of course, didn’t go the conventional way to filmdom – she was not an 18-year-old who took the plunge into acting – instead, she studied. She went to Columbia University in the US and graduated with a degree in hand.
Reportedly, she father Saif was hell-bent that she study – “This degree is your only passport -- from the husband that beats you to a country that collapses economically, you can survive everything. She can get a job anywhere in the world. It would be foolish of her to leave that to act. She can do that after she completes her education. She can’t throw this to be stuck working in one profession. That is limiting yourself,” he had told DNA in an interview.
And Sara did complete her education and only then took to Bollywood. Her debut film wasn’t a typical Bollywood romance, set in picturesque Kedarnath. A Hindu-Muslim love story, film sadly didn’t set the box office on fire but a star was born. It was evident to all that she could act and hold her own in front of the camera. That same year, she followed it up with Simmba, a typical commercial potboiler with Ranveer Singh in the lead. With this, she demonstrated her ability to be a ‘commercial heroine’ too.
Over 2019 and 2020, the actor will be seen in two films – Imtiaz Ali’s sequel to Love Aaj Kal with Kartik Aaryan and David Dhawan’s remake of hit ’90s film, Coolie No 1.
Apart from her films and choices, she has shown a tremendous maturity in dealing with media inquiry, particularly vis-à-vis her family. It may be recalled that her parents divorced 2004 when she was only 9 years old. Later, 2012 Saif got married to Kareena Kapoor. However, in her many interviews, Sara has proved to be a picture of dignity as she frankly spoke of her family.
On father Saif Ali Khan
Speaking about her father to Filmfare, she said that though her parents divorced, Saif never made her feel he was away. Sara said: “And as far as my father is concerned, he’s never ever let me feel that we don’t live together. He’s always a phone call away. He’s always available for dinner, for coffee. So why would I feel like that? I have two happy homes with two happy parents. That’s a win-win situation as opposed to a massive loss for everyone.”
On dealing with her parent’s separation
Talking about her parent’s divorce, Sara said: “I was a kid, who understood that her mother and father were happier that way. I can’t change how they are when they’re together. But you must know the option. I could have been brought up in an extremely unhappy, unstable and toxic household.”
On her equation with Kareena Kapoor and mom Amrita Singh
“As far as our personal equation is concerned, I was clear from the beginning that anyone who makes my father happy – not specifically Kareena – makes me happy. Anyone, he loves, I love. I don’t need to know who that person is. It’s about my father. Having said that, Kareena and I became friends and have a healthy equation regardless of the fact that we’ve conducted ourselves with dignity. It’s also easy for me to love and accept Kareena because I have a mom, who makes me feel everything’s fine. She got me ready for my father’s wedding with Kareena. So when you have a mother saying, ‘Yeh earrings mat peheno, doosri chandbali peheno’... and if that’s the vibe at home, then you’re comfortable enough to take anything on.”
On Kartik Aaryan
Ever since Sara Ali Khan spoke about wanting to date Kartik Aaryan on Koffee With Karan last year, tabloids have been abuzz about the two dating each other. The two will see in Imtiaz Ali’s next. Speaking about working with Kartik, she was quoted in Pinkvilla as saying, “It was a blast! It was amazing and fun, everyday on the set was fun... there were moments where I didn’t realize I am working. I can’t believe I am being paid for sitting behind Kartik Aaryan on the bike, any girl would die to do that.”
On brothers Ibrahim and Taimur
Sharing a poster with her brother, Ibrahim, she had joked: “I smile because you’re my brother ...I laugh because there’s nothing you can do about it.” As far as Taimur Ali Khan goes, pictures from their rakhi celebrations had broken the internet. She had revealed how her little half brother had given her Rs 51 as her rakhi gift.
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