Playing a cut-throat politician in Tandav, Saif Ali Khan on how he made an exception by allowing the makers to shoot inside his ancestral property, Pataudi Palace
Saif Ali Khan
It’s not every day that Saif Ali Khan throws open the doors of his family home, the Pataudi Palace, for a shoot. Then again, he argues it’s not every day that a story as compelling as Tandav comes his way, making him want to go the extra mile. The drama, created and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, sees the high and mighty in a power struggle in the murky world of politics.
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The trailer opens with Khan making a grand entry at the palace balcony
The magnificent Pataudi Palace made for the perfect backdrop for some portions of the Amazon Prime Video series. “I think it is the palace that lends us the royal look. Anyone standing there would look royal,” begins Khan. “I don’t mind giving it for shoots sometimes because it remains unused 340 days of the year. These days, film crews have become responsible and look after the venues, but [the idea of a shoot being conducted there] still makes me nervous. Usually, I am more comfortable if they are filming around the exterior of the palace. But for Tandav, I made an exception [by shooting inside].”
The nine-part series has generated tremendous buzz, owing to its sharply cut trailer. Tell him that netizens are brimming with excitement about the show, and the actor - who has famously stayed away from social media - says candidly, “I am interested in reviews from sensible people. I respect the fans’ response, but there is so much noise [on social media] that I don’t listen to reactions anymore. When I look at any piece of work, I know whether I am confident or not. I am confident about Tandav.”
Also featuring Dimple Kapadia, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Sunil Grover, the story sees Khan’s cut-throat politician hoping to reach the top of the pyramid after the death of his Prime Minister father. The internal struggles of his character aside, the actor says he enjoyed turning orator. “I had to deliver speeches that had a fair mix of Sanskrit and Hindi. Sanskrit is poetic and rhythmic, and the script offered powerful dialogues. Usually, you get a heavy scene one day, followed by a few easy days. Here, I had to film four speeches every day.”
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