SAIF ALI IS TWISTED IN BEING CYRUS

Saif Ali Khan is playing a twisted guy - Cyrus in his first English movie. The actor talks about how it was being Cyrus.

You ’ve mustered up the courage to do unconventional films.
I think Omkara and Being Cyrus are as different from each other as they are from conventional cinema. Even Salaam Namaste wasn't conventional, though it was mainstream because it was a Yashraj production.

You have a very unusual release coming up?
I loved 'Being Cyrus'. Honestly speaking, whether it's a Vishal Bharadwaj's or Homi Adajania's film, I feel I've moved to a different level as an actor. I might have been a little unsure at the beginning of the project, but instinctively, now I think I have started getting it right. Being Cyrus is my first English-language film. It's a different kind of cinema. It's a quality film. It should be evaluated in its own space.

Is Being Cyrus your first non-mainstream film?
I've been offered quite a few offbeat films. I know in three minutes if I want to do a film or not. Some directors continue to ask me even after I refuse. The reputation of being indecisive about selecting roles is a good thing if it keeps away people whom you have already refused. But invariably it doesn't.

People’s interest in Being Cyrus is primarily because of your presence?
That sounds like a huge burden to carry. I must warn people Being Cyrus is not my regular kind of movie. I've done what I was expected to. If they expect me to do comedy and sing songs, similar to what I did in 'Salaam Namaste' or 'Hum Tum' then they'd be disappointed. I'll be seen without my shirt, though. (Laughs) It's a bit of a noire thriller. I say 'bit', because it only took 20 of my shooting days and it has been shot amazingly by cinematographer Jehengir Chowdhary.

Did it allow you to expand your horizons as an actor?
It did, actually. Homi was very insistent on not being filmy.

Did you hit it off instantly?
No. Initially he used to irk me when he gave instructions like, 'Don't stand like a Bollywood star'. I finally told him this film would get released only in Bombay Gym. That's when the ice broke. We laughed together. Homi gave me back something that I had lost - my sense of humour. I remember I was sitting at Natraj studio when Homi came to narrate the script to me. At that time my first thought was, it would be fun to do a film in a language in which I think. At the same time it sounded like an interesting and brave effort. I realised there was no money in it.

Is money a decisive factor for your selection?
It is certainly one of the factors. Why not? I've seen actors trying to live on commitment. It doesn't work. Often actors waste their time doing films that have no impact. There was no money in Being Cyrus. But I was impressed by the production. I think today after doing films like Being Cyrus and 'Omkara', I will do movies because I feel they're right, those films allow you to call yourself an actor.

In Being Cyrus you have got to share screen space with very accomplished actors.
That was one of the things that attracted me to this project. Boman Irani is a Parsi. I've always got along well with Boman. In fact, I started doing a different kind of acting in an unusual cinema when I did 'Darna Mana Hai' with Boman.

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